


Broken

by Rose_Stem



Category: Original Work
Genre: Chemistry, Dark Romance, Drugs, Homophobic Language, M/M, Sex, Violence, beatings, but so right, gay main characters, not going to be an easy ride, so wrong, will add more tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:20:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 26,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23754499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rose_Stem/pseuds/Rose_Stem
Summary: Nathan Saint wakes up to find himself bound and beaten, a captive to a man who wants his brother dead. None of this is unusual for him, he's been waiting for the day one of Rhett's decisions kill him and if he's honest with himself, he welcomes it. His brother has ruined his life - put a leash on him because he likes men, keeps him poor because it keeps him reliant. He's had enough and he doesn't give a shit if he never makes it back home.Sebastian Aumont is spirally into a pit of despair at his brother's death. Rafe was his best friend, business partner and brother, the only other person he could trust with his life. Rhett Saint killed him and now it's time for him to pay. But his employees fucked up, they kidnapped and torture the wrong brother and now Sebastian has an unhealthy obsession with the reckless younger Saint brother.
Relationships: Nate/Sebastian
Comments: 5
Kudos: 32





	1. The Wrong Brother

Nathan Saint was a dead man.

He had known it from the moment a bag had been shoved over his head and the beating that followed. Getting beat on was nothing new to him, it had been happening all his life, by friends, by enemies, by his family. But this was different.

His brother eventually stopped after he had ‘learnt his lesson’, his enemies usually stopped because knew if they killed Rhett Saint’s brother they would be six feet under not long after. His friends – well, he didn’t have many of those anymore.

These men hadn’t stopped; they had continued way past his impressive threshold for pain. Eventually, he had blacked out, waken in a dark room with his hands tied behind his back and his body screaming in pain with every movement he made.

He had no idea where he was, didn’t even know if he was still in Reno anymore. There were no windows, no furniture. No light. It reminded him of the time Rhett has locked him in their shed for three days because he had found Nate kissing a guy. Like isolation was some kind of cure for liking it up the ass.

Fuck, he thought closing his eyes. His brother was a first-class asshole, but at least Nate knew where he stood with him. Rhett wouldn’t kill his brother. Dish out pain on a regular basis? Yeah, but he wouldn’t kill him. Nate knew, because there had been many times where he had tried to push Rhett to the edge to get it over and done with already.

Whoever had snatched him off the street in broad fucking daylight was probably going to kill him. Chances are he wouldn’t be given a reason, but he sure as hell knew it had something to do with Rhett. It went with the territory of being related to one of the biggest drug dealers in the city.

Time passed without any indicators. He couldn’t sleep with the pain grounding him into consciousness, so he waited. Tried to do an assessment of his injuries, but it wasn’t easy. The only real conclusion that he came to was that his arm was probably broken, along with a couple of ribs.

Did it really matter?

Nate was aware that his reaction to this situation wasn’t normal. Other people might be screaming, crying, begging to be let out or saved. With him there was only apathy. There was only one person he really cared about in the world. Eva, his baby sister and she was now living the highlife in Europe. It had taken him years to give that to her, but he had done it, kept up his end of the bargain with his brother. Eva was left alone.

She would be okay without him. The last email he had received from her, she had told him she had started dating a cop. Which was fucking hilarious considering their family business. It also meant Rhett would leave her alone if he did ever go looking for her.

He let out a low chuckle, still impressed that his sister had the balls to get with a cop.

She was safe now.

The sound of the door unlocking drew his attention. A bright stream of light blinded him, making it difficult to see anything. Fuck it, he wasn’t going to strain himself trying to get a look at his killer. What he looked like made no difference to Nate.

“Lights,” a smooth voice barked.

Suddenly, the room was filled with a harsher light. Nate slammed his eyes shut, agony shooting straight into his already aching head. There was a sound of amusement which he let bounce right off him.

Nate’s eyes grew used to the light within a couple of minutes. The stranger who had been a long shape for all of that time just waited. He seemed to know when Nate had adjusted because he snapped, “Look at me.”

Powerless to disobey the command, his body reacting as if were made to follow that voice, Nate did as he was told. With his head on the cold ground, it took a second for him to comprehend what he saw. A tall man, powerfully built. Dressed in an expensive looking suit of all fucking things. Dark hair, almost black, falling just above his shoulders.

What captured Nate’s attention the most was the guy’s face. It was stunning, all angles and dark mesmerizing eyes that were locked onto his own. With his looks, there was every chance the guy could have been a model instead of the killer Nate saw in his eyes.

Nate wondered what the man saw when he assessed him with cool eyes. He was alright to look at, the physical exertion on his job keeping him in shape. The rest of him was ordinary, green eyes he in inherited from his mom, tan skin from his dad. Scars from Rhett. Yeah, he was a such a treat to look at.

Doesn’t matter, he told himself.

In a swift motion, his captor turned around and grabbed the guy standing behind him by the throat. It was an impressive display of physical aggression and almost told him the man had a short temper. “This is the wrong brother, you fucking idiot.”

Stunned, Nate let out a small laugh.

It dried up as soon as those dark eyes focused back on him. “You think this is funny, hmm? Fucking street rat,” he cursed, sending his shiny shoe right into Nate’s stomach. Pain exploded in his midsection, causing a cry to fall from his lips. “Still think it’s funny?”

“A little,” he croaked out, coughing up some blood.

He was caught by the hair and dragged up into a sitting position. “It won’t save you, you know?” he whispered almost sensually, the words caressing Nate’s ears.

Nate shrugged. He hadn’t expected it to. Some part of him hadn’t even wanted it to.

Dark eyes studied him intently. “You don’t care, do you?”

He shrugged again.

“What am I going to do with you then? I can’t very well just give you what you want.” The guy was close to his face, to his lips. Nate eyes landed on them, wondering how it would feel to be kissed by such a man. He was a psycho and Nate had no idea what that turned him a little.

Who the fuck knew?

“There are worse things than death,” his captor said. What could he respond to that? It was a truth he already knew, that he had already lived for most of his life. “There is something wrong with you, Mr Saint.”

 _Mr Saint?_ When was the last time someone called him that?

“Nothing I haven’t heard before,” Nate replied, his tongue heavy in his mouth. He was pretty sure he was going to pass out soon. Before he did, he wanted the answer to one question. “What’s your name?”

The man narrowed his eyes. “Doesn’t my face look familiar to you?”

“Should it?” Nate asked. He usually had a good memory for faces. There was no way he had seen this guy before. He would remember those eyes, the barely contained dangerous energy.

The fist in his hair tightened. “Are you playing games with me?”

Nate snorted. “Do I look like I’m in any shape to play games?”

The next thing he knew, the psycho was straddling his lap. “My name is Sebastian Aumont.”

He didn’t know anyone by that name. It suited him though, Nate thought. “And what, my brother stole from you or something?”

A large hand wrapped around his throat. “Yes, he stole something from me.” From his tone, Nate got the feeling Rhett hadn’t just liberated some drugs or some shit. It was hard to focus on anything the man was saying when his cock was digging into Nate’s stomach.

Was the guy hard? It felt like it. He probably got off on whacking people.

But Nate couldn’t deny he was hot as fuck and despite the part of him that wanted to shrink away from the man’s touch, he was equally as fascinated. It was crazy. He was an idiot, or maybe he had been on his brother’s leash for too long and his cock now wanted anyone, regardless of psychopathic tendencies.

“Say my name,” Sebastian commanded.

Nate complied without hesitation. “Sebastian.”

Nate swore the other man thrust his hips. What the fuck? Shit was getting out of control. “Look, man, if you’re gonna kill me, just get on with it and if you ain’t, go ahead and torture me.”

Fingers stroked circles into his neck. “There’s no need for anymore violence. Tell me where your brother is and I’m sure we can work something out.”

Nate sighed. He had no problems turning on Rhett. Hell, he had been searching for ways to get the bastard out of his life for years. The problem was the guy currently sat on his lap was deranged, a wild card. He could make things a thousands times worse.

“I don’t know.”

Sebastian’s eyebrow arches. “You don’t know? I find that difficult to believe. My associates informed me that he keeps a close eye on you.”

_So I don’t go around fucking guys._

“Believe what you want; we’re not close. He’s an asshole.”

Sebastian’s gaze was unnerving. Nate honestly couldn’t decide whether the man was about to kill him or fuck him. The unpredictability of it caused a steady hum of excitement to rush through his veins. Nate embraced it as it was the only thing distracting him from the agony that Sebastian’s men had inflicted on his body.

“You’re testing my patience,” Sebastian told him in a low voice. “You’re also proving to be quite the enigma. Most men would be screaming bloody murder if I draped myself across them like this, my hard cock poking them.”

Nate met his eyes head on. “Your cock doesn’t scare me.”

Sebastian laughed. It was more of a bark than an actual laugh. “Street rat, I think I might like you. It’s such a shame that your brother did something unforgivable or we could have had a little fun.”

 _His_ cock jumped to attention. Words fell out of his mouth without thought. “What does one have to do with the other? I’m getting the sense that whatever way this ends, I’m not coming out of it with a heartbeat. You were right, Rhett does like to keep on eye on me, but only because he knows I like a cock. He doesn’t want word to get out that his brother is a fag.”

Sebastian’s nostrils flared, his pupils dilating. “You want me to fuck you?”

Nate breath stilled. “Yeah.”

“I _am_ going to kill you,” Sebastian reiterated.

Nate shrugged. “If I’m going to die, might as well get fucked first.”

Sebastian’s lips were almost touching his. “There _is_ something wrong with you.”

Probably. His life had desensitised him to a lot of shit. Rhett was always going to be the reason he got killed; he had accepted it a long time ago. He hadn’t been with a guy in years and even that had been a fucking disaster that Rhett had ruined.

Sebastian spoke again. “Whilst it’s my first inclination to accept, I’m going to think about it. Apparently I’ve been spiralling lately and my decision making skills are being called into question.”

Nate’s expression scrunched in confusion. Every time Sebastian spoke, Nate only grew more certain that the guy was fucked in the head. “Okay. Well, I’ll just be here.”

Sebastian’s lip quirked. “You’re funny, Nate.”

No one in his entire life had ever called him that before. “If you say so.”

“Oh, I do and you’ll quickly learn that my word if law around here.”

He didn’t doubt that for a second.

Sebastian leaned in closer, inhaling deeply. Weird and hot. “Need a taste of you.”

Nate’s lips were taken without any thought to his consent. Not that he cared too much because Sebastian was a fucking amazing kisser. His tongue delved into Nate’s mouth, more gently that he had expected, the sensations at odds with the pain wracking the rest of his body.

He was consumed by Sebastian, feeding off the other man’s passion. It felt like he was being claimed, that Sebastian was branding Nate as his property. It should disgust him, but it only loosened his own inhibitions, sending raw need straight down to his cock.

He moaned when Sebastian moved against him. He had no idea it if was in pleasure or in pain and in that moment he didn’t care. His breathing was heavy when Sebastian pulled back, a smug look on his face. He sucked on Nate’s lower lip. “Hmmm, I think I do want to keep you for a while.” 

“Yes,” Nate croaked out.

Sebastian chuckled. “I must go now. I’ll send someone to tend to your injuries. If I do fuck you, you’ll only receive what pain I want to cause.”

Inhaling sharply as Sebastian got off him, Nate tried to keep his discomfort from showing too much. Sebastian might want to fuck him, but one thing he had learnt from Rhett was to hide weakness. It was impossible though when Sebastian reached round and cut through the rope that had bound his hands together.

The arm he suspected was broken screamed in agony. “Fuck,” he muttered, staring at it uselessly.

Standing now, Sebastian glanced down at him. “Your arm is broken.”

Nate bit his tongue to stop himself from shouting at the bastard. He did meet his eyes for a second though and what he saw there was deadly. “Have to do everything my fucking self,” Sebastian muttered. “Michael, call the doctor! You broke my new toy’s arm!”

Nate watched Sebastian exist the room without a backward glance, his face heating at being referred to as a toy. What the hell had just happened?


	2. Unexpected Release

Bastian slammed his bedroom door shut, his breathing out of control which only angered him further. He was losing it and was obvious to everyone who knew him. He needed to get a hold of himself. He needed to kill that street rat downstairs and be done with it so he could continue the hunt for the true object of his wrath.

_Fuck!_

Nathan Saint.

Nate.

He looked so much like his brother that it had taken all of Sebastian’s willpower not to slit his throat in that room. No, that was wrong. At first glance, he resembled his brother. They had the same build, same shade of hair colour. Their eyes were different. Rhett’s were a muddy brown whereas Nate’s were an emerald green.

Bastian took a deep, calming breath as his phone rang. It was Andre, the only person left that he trusted. His long-time friend and sometimes beneficiary of his amazing sexual prowess. “Andre,” he greeted smoothly.

“You have the wrong brother,” Andre stated, his tone more serious than usual.

Bastian rubbed his temple. “Yes, I know. I just met my guest. How do you know?”

“Word on the street is that Rhett has gone to ground. He’s spooked, knows his brother is missing.”

“And he doesn’t care?” Bastian asked, a part of him curious at the relationship of the brothers. Nate hadn’t spoken highly of Rhett, not that Bastian could blame him. The vermin needed putting down for good.

“He’s put feelers out, but nothing more substantial than that.”

Bastian sighed. “I need you to find out everything you can about the pair of them and I mean everything, Andre. I need Rhett to die. You know what he took from me. I don’t want to wait. I need something that will draw him out.”

“What makes you think the brother isn’t enough?”

“He might be,” Bastian conceded, “but I need more.”

“Consider it done,” Andre said with confidence. It was not misplaced; Andre was excellent at uncovering secrets. He should have utilised him better from the start. “Do you need anything else?” the other man asked.

Bastian knew the man well. “I don’t have time to fuck you.”

There was a small pause. “Fine. Call me if you do,” he said before hanging up the call.

Such a hungry boy, Bastian mused, reminding him of the man locked in his basement. What kind of man offered themselves up to their would-be killer? Many people thought Bastian was crazy, but he had nothing on Nate.

At first he thought it was a ploy for more time, but there was something about Nate’s careless attitude that led Bastian to believe the man truly had no preference whether he lived or died. Even in his grief, he couldn’t understand it. Survival was everything, even if was only just to make your enemies suffer too.

Stripping out of his suit, he headed towards his bathroom. He hesitated before stepping into the shower, almost reluctant to cleanse Nate’s scent from his skin. When he realised what he was doing, he forced himself under the steady stream of water.

Did he want to fuck Nate?

Bastian was always honest with himself and in this matter, he demanded it. Yes, he wanted to fuck the street rat. Still, it hardly meant anything. His sexual appetite was famous in his circles. Nate was beautiful in that rough diamond kind of way.

Would fucking Rhett’s brother help him battle through the grief of losing his own?

He couldn’t know the answer to that. The thought that Rhett Saint would be disgusted by the idea was enough to have made the decision for him. He was going to destroy the bastard. Perhaps he had been too hasty in trying to kill Rhett immediately. Like he had told Nate, there were worse things than death. Maybe getting word that his little brother was fucking the man who was intent of killing him would be one of those things for a man like Rhett.

From what Nate had told him, it certainly seemed like it.

Bastian smiled coldly, switching off the shower, a plan beginning to form in his mind.

Obliterating Rhett was going to a lot more fun than he had anticipated.

The next morning, Bastian dressed in another impeccable suit, scowling at the loose fitting. He had lost weight since Rafe’s death. Little thought had been given to eating. All he wanted was Rhett Saint’s head on a fucking pike.

He would eat breakfast after he had visited his guest. Bastian made his way down to the basement, satisfied that no one disturbed him. Unlocking the door, a bubble of excitement welled in his chest.

Nate was in the centre of the room, still dressed in the clothes he had been wearing yesterday. The only real difference about his appearance was the cast on his arm. Blinking the sleep from his eyes, Nate sat himself up, slowly as if it was all his body could handle.

Bastian’s jaw clenched at the sight. Fuck if he knew it was in anger or annoyance.

Nate held his ribs as he spoke. “Came to agree to my offer?” he coughed, pain wreaking havoc on his expression. The man was a mess. “You might have to wait a few days to collect.”

_Deep breaths._

“You look pitiful,” Bastian told him. Nate shrugged, irritating him beyond belief. “When you’re with me, use your words. “

He expected a flash of heat in Nate’s eyes – anything – to confirm that he was getting under the other man’s skin as much as Nate was getting under his. There was nothing. His eyes, his expression, it was empty.

“Come with me,” he ordered, turning on his heel. He began walking, quickly realising that there were no footsteps echoing his.

He glanced back to find Nate limping behind him. “Hurry up,” he snapped.

Jade eyes pinned his. “Your goons broke my ribs.”

“Goons?” Bastian laughed, a part of him finding his little street rat adorable. “If you expect me to feel any remorse or sympathy, you’re mistaken.”

Nate huffed out a breath. “I don’t want no one’s pity. Especially yours.”

“No, you just want my cock in your ass,” Bastian shot back, continuing to lead him through the house.

“You could be anyone.”

Bastian halted, the words pissing him off more than he liked. “Is that right?”

Nate shrugged.

“So you wouldn’t mind me sharing you with my friends?” He had certainly done it before.

Nate lifted a heavy brow. “Depends if they’re any good.”

Pocketing that information away for another day, Bastian began walking again. He had to give it to Nate, he had a set of balls on him. No, he corrected himself. It wasn’t courage; it was a complete lack of self-preservation.

“Where are you taking me?” Nate asked.

“Somewhere you can shower. You stink,” Bastian told him.

Nate was still trailing behind when he had the audacity to answer back. “You say that like it’s my fault. You’re my host, aren’t you?”

Bastian stopped again, this time backing Nate up to the wall. With his hands resting on the flat surface, he caged the other man in his hold. There were of a similar height standing, he noted. “I’m not your host. I own you right now.”

Nate simply looked at him. “Amounts to the same thing, right?”

Bastian clamped down a smile. He did not want the fucker to think he was amusing. “You reeking my entire house out? Yes, it does.”

“The longer we stand here and talk it , the more it will permeate.”

Standing this close to Nate was making it difficult to verbally spar. “Permeate? That’s a long word for someone of your social standing.”

“Only eight letters long, man.”

Bastian pushed away from the insolent child before he could do something stupid like kiss him. Or punch him. There was no way of telling which it would have been and neither were acceptable. Not yet. He needed to show restraint.

Leading Nate the rest of the way to the room next to him, Bastian opened the door. “You can stay in here for now. Don’t break anything.”

Nate whistled. “It’s fancy. Something tells me I’m not in Reno anymore.”

He ignored the sly fucker.. “Take a shower. I’ll be back later.”

Bastian turned to leave. “Sebastian?”

“Yes, Mr Saint?” He liked the way Nate’s face twitched when he called him by that name. It was more of a reaction that when he called him a street rat. Curious.

“Does this you’re going to fuck me?” Nate asked in that straight forward tone of his.

He was a deeply disturbed man because his answer came quick and without hesitate. “Yes, I’m going to fuck you and if you don’t satisfy me, I might just kill you with my cum still inside of you.”

Bastian recognised that he was looking at someone equally as demented as himself when Nate smiled. “Okay then.”

Supressing a groan, he fled the room before either of them could descend any further into madness.

Showering was hard as hell with the fucking cast around his arm. He should be grateful for it, but honestly, Nate couldn’t see the point. As soon as he put of for his captor, he was dead. Why go to the trouble of mending his broken arm? And who the hell had a doctor on call to tend to hostages?

The whole situation was fucked and only getting weirder by the day. Sebastian was insane which probably explained It all. One minute he was like some smooth-talking businessman and the next, pure filth came out of his mouth and he looked a moment away from murdering everyone in a rampage. Nate had never met anyone like it.

He had to wonder if it was his usual behaviour or if whatever Rhett had ‘stole’ from him had something to do with the man’s ever-changing moods. By the time he figured it out he would probably be dead anyway, so there wasn’t much point in wasting his energy on dissecting the man.

Sebastian thought he was a dumbass, Nate though. It was crystal clear by the way the guy spoke to him, but he was wrong. He had never finished high school because Rhett had pulled him out in the final year, but he didn’t need a piece of paper to tell him if he had brains or not.

When he wasn’t working, he was reading or watching TV. So he knew shit. Maybe it wasn’t the fancy shit that a man like Sebastian would know, but he was no dumbass. Sebastian could keep up with the comments about his intelligence, it was good to be underestimated. Not that he planned on trying to escape of anything. What would be the point?

Either Rhett or Sebastian would find him.

Rhett would break his other arm and Sebastian, well Nate didn’t know what the mad fucker would do. Except maybe he did, just to see how far he could push him until he snapped. Nope, not a good idea.

After awkwardly washing the blood and grime from his skin whilst keeping his arm dry, Nate stepped into the warm room and wrapped a towel round his waist. It was thick, nothing like the cheap ones he used back at home. The whole house screamed wealth, old money. It put his back up almost as much as it’s owner.

Looking down at his dirty clothes, he decided to leave them right where they were. There was no point in showering if he was just going to put the filthy clothes back on. He walked back into the bedroom and gingerly laid himself down on the bed.

Fuck, it felt good after sleeping on that hard floor the night before.

It took him minutes to fall asleep. It probably should have taken longer to fall asleep in the lion’s den.

Something crawled up his leg, jolting Nate out of the deep sleep he had been in. Opening his eyes, he found Sebastian standing at the side of his bed, caressing his thigh. Nate realised it was creepy by anyone’s standard, but again, all sense of reason had left his brain. His cock stirred and it was more than noticeable underneath the towel that covered him.

Sebastian’s gazed lowered to his lap, his lips wet with anticipation. “Have you ever been fucked before?”

“Yeah,” Nate answered, his voice hoarse from sleep. “Once.”

“Once?” His breath hitched when Sebastian unravelled the towel to expose his cock. Taking off his suit jacket, Sebastian position himself between Nate’s legs. “Answer my question.”

“Rhett had a friend, Greg. I was still living with Rhett then and Greg crashed at the apartment. Rhett went on to fuck his latest hook up and Greg came into my room. Fucked me.” Rhett had found out and killed his friend which had flooded Nate with guilt. Worse part was, it hadn’t even been very good. They could have just _not_ done it and Greg would still be alive.

Sebastian’s hands rested on Nate’s hips. “Your brother found out.”

“Yeah,” Nate said simply, unwilling to expand.

“And you haven’t been with anyone else since that?”

“No.”

Sebastian’s eyes raked over his body, lingering on the bruises caused by his men. “They got you good, didn’t they?”

His cock was fully hard now, leaking from the tip. Sebastian thrust against his ass, causing his cock to jerk. Nate swallowed a moan. It had been so long since he had been free to do anything life this without the fear of Rhett finding out and going postal.

“Do you want me to touch you?” Sebastian asked, surprising him.

“I thought you would just take what you wanted. I already agreed to this.”

Sebastian’s dark eyes flashed. “I don’t take anyone without consent. I like my bed partners to crave me the same way I crave them.”

“Okay.” Nate drew the word out, thoroughly confused.

Sebastian leant over him, sucking a fleshy part of Nate’s neck into his mouth and biting down hard. Nate’s rubbed up against the other man’s cock, becoming lost in sensation. “Do you want me to touch you?”

“Yes.”

A large hand wrapped around his cock, spreading the pre-cum down the shaft and then pumping with a deliberate slowness that was killing Nate. He had spent so many nights dreaming of this, of being able to mess around with another guy without fear of being caught. That the guy was intense and as dominating as someone like Sebastian only made him burn hotter.

The noises he made might have embarrassed him if he gave any care to that kind of shit. Why worry about some soft cries when Sebastian was going to end him eventually? Anything they did together was acceptable because of the ticking clock over his head.

He was horny, he had been repressed the whole of his life and maybe he was trading one leash for another, but this one felt fucking amazing. There was no doubt in Nate’s mind that Sebastian was sexually experience in a way that he would never catch up, even if he were to live.

The predatory way that Sebastian’s eyes watched him said it all. Injuries long forgotten, Nate pushed into the tight grip around his cock. Sebastian’s answering chuckle was low. “God, you look so tempting laid out before me. I hardly know what to do with you first.”

Nate couldn’t answer, the words getting lost at the back of his throat. All of his focus was on the pleasure circling his aching cock, the rough pads of Sebastian’s fingers creating a whisper of pain that was as much a turn on as the pleasure.

Sebastian’s other hand came down on his jaw, forcing Nate to look into his eyes. “What do you want me to do to you?”

“Anything,” he responded. He didn’t care and a part of him even needed the choice being taken from him. For once, worry and discomfort had floated away and Nate wanted to feel their absence a little longer. 

His response seemed to tickle Sebastian. “Are you so hungry for cock that you would truly let me do anything to you?”

Nate had lost his mind a long time ago; there was no point in explaining it to Sebastian. He would probably just laugh in his face anyway. So he went with a nonchalant, “Yeah.”

“What a rare treat I’ve discovered,” Sebastian rasped against his lips. Nate caught them with his own, eager to experience another of Sebastian’s kisses. Though he had initiated it, it was clear to both of them that Sebastian was in control.

His cock being stroked between their bodies, he almost came when Sebastian’s tongue slide against his. Squeezing his eyes shut, he attempted to take back control of his body. Unsurprisingly, his captor had other ideas. He rose up on his knees, contracting his palm around Nate’s weeping cock.

There was no stopping the streams of cum erupting, splashing him on his chest as they landed. Nate’s entire body buckled, the release more than his tired mind could comprehend. “Fuck,” he gritted out, hands anchoring him to the sheet below him.

When his eyes opened, his ragged breath calming, Sebastian’s mocking gaze was on his face. With lazy movements, he swiped a finger in a pool of cum from Nate’s abs and put it in his mouth, tasting. Sebastian was tasting his cum.

“No bad,” the other man said with a smile, licking his lips. “You’ve had your fun, now I want mine.”

Was he going to get fucked now?

Sure, he wanted it, it had been his idea, but there was no denying that his body wasn’t exactly in the shape to be handled the way Sebastian would demand. Without the distraction of Sebastian’s hands working him, the pain had flooded right back to the surface.

He wasn’t going to be a pussy about it; he had asked for it, after all.

Instead of stripping, Sebastian leant over him again, hands disappearing inside the bedside table. Nate’s eyes widened when the man pulled out a butt plug. For some reason, the sight of the black object alarmed him more than the thought of Sebastian’s cock in his ass.

He said nothing, unwilling to give away his apprehension. Someone like Sebastian would jump on it without hesitation.

“Do you know what this is?” Sebastian asked, holding the butt plug as if it were the most natural thing in the word. It probably was to him.

Nate nodded.

“Good,” Sebastian said, a sardonic glint in his eye. “Open your legs wide.”

After a second of hesitated, Nate complied. The position was exposing; he was literally laid out for Sebastian to use as he pleased, such a contrast to Sebastain’s fully clothed body. It both excited Nate and put him on edge. The combination was electric, sending desire shooting through his veins.

Sebastian trailed a hand down his thighs, across his balls, to his sensitive cock. Nate squirmed beneath him. For a second, he thought Sebastian was going to just shove the toy into his ass and it would have only been his own fault for permitting the man to have all the power.

He soon realised that Sebastian had other ideas. His fingers scooped up the cum from Nate’s body, transferring it to his hole. The first touch against the tight ring of muscles was shocking. Greg had been in a rush when they had fucked so Nate had never felt anyone else’s gentle fingers probing him.

Sebastian’s dark gaze was on his face as he pushed a finger inside Nate’s hole, it sliding more easily than Nate would have of expected. He guessed his cum was good lubrication. “You are tight,” Sebastian said with something close to delight. 

For some reason that thrilled him.

And Sebastian knew it. “Do you like my finger up your ass?”

Nate swallowed. “Yeah.”

Before he knew it, another was added, creating a slight burning sensation that wasn’t entirely unwelcome. “Relax,” Sebastian commanded.

How was he expected to relax with Sebastian’s fingers fucking him? The steady rhythm was driving him crazy, his body searching for something _more_. “Bastian,” he pleaded.

The other man stilled. “What did you just call me?”

“Bastian,” Nate responded, his heart thumping loudly inside his chest. There was that murderous expression again. There was a bite of pain when Sebastian finally moved again, his thrusts a more forceful that then had been before.

A change of angle had Nate seeing stars, the pleasure so intense his cock began to harden again. This was what he had been craving, what he needed. Just as he was finally getting what he wanted, Sebastian’s fingers were gone, leaving him empty.

Something hard quickly replaced them. The butt plug, Nate realised, almost forgetting it existing. He glanced down to find Sebastian staring intently at his ass. His body resisted the larger object at first, but it soon gave way to the pressure, the breath leaving his lungs.

Fuck, he was full. So fucking full.

Sebastian shoved his pants down, freeing his massive dick. Nate made a move to get his hands on it, but Sebastian’s curt voice halted his movements. “Don’t touch. Just watch.”

Nate could have whined like a little girl.

Following Sebastian’s instructions, Nate keep his eyes on Sebastian, admiring what little he could see of the man’s body. His cock was thick as he pumped it with haste, his built chest rising with every breath. He tugged on the butt plug a little causing Nate to wince and apparently that was all he needed to come.

White ropes of cum landed on Nate’s rigid cock and on his stomach, mixing with the remnants of his own. He was more focused on Sebastian’s expression, the pleasure playing across his face, almost making him seem…human.

It was quickly gone. Sebastian left the bed, pulling his pants up. The abrupt loss had Nate’s body confused, his thoughts jumbled. He could barely pay attention when Sebastian spoke again. “If you take the toy out, you’ll be punished. If you make yourself come, you’ll be punished.”

With that he left with Nate staring after him, frustrated and sated at the same time.

“Fuck,” he groaned.


	3. Fury

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sebastian's an asshole!

Sat behind the desk in his study, Bastian watched the video again, his cock stirring in response to the look on Nate’s face when his ass was breached. The surveillance had been set up to ensure the younger man didn’t try anything, but Bastian much preferred this use for it.

He could hardly wait to sink his cock into that tight little hole.

Getting his hands on that lithe body has been a treat. Watching Nate come with abandon had made him so fucking hard. He would be reliving on expression on the man’s handsome face for a long time to come. 

Switching back to live feed, he found Nate sleeping on his side. He had tucked himself under the covers as if were in a hotel rather than a prison. The man fascinated him, Bastian admitted to himself. Only himself. There hadn’t been many lovers who had managed that feat; he grew bored of them easily, discarding them without a backward glance.

There was something about Nate that was different. As he studied the man’s relaxed face, he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was. He had been with more attractive men than Nate and yet none of them had possessed his recklessness. Was it that quality that drew him in?

It spoke to the wildness residing within himself. It really would be a shame when Nate’s time was up. But, Bastian reminded himself, the length of Nate’s life was his decision and it didn’t have to be made within the next week or even the next month.

He could wring as much satisfaction out of the man as he could.

With business to attend to he didn’t have the luxury of obsessing about his new toy all day. He had a meeting with his mother. Inessa Aumont was an old dragon, a cold and unfeeling woman. The only time Bastian had ever seen a crack in her defence was when he broke the news that Rafe had been murdered.

She had quickly recovered and demanded Rhett Saint’s head to be laid at her feet. Bastian would have done it without her instruction. He and his brother had been as thick as thieves growing up and it had surprised them both when their bond had remained intact during adulthood. They had been taught to view each other as rivals, but neither of them had taken that lesson to heart.

Bastian made his way across town, driving himself because he knew his mother would hate it. Arriving at her estate, Bastian entered the extravagant house.

He hated the fucking place.

It reminded him too much of Rafe these days, of the long summers they had spent here getting into trouble. Perhaps one day he would be able to look back on them with fondness. Now they were just a reminder of the loss that had been inflicted upon him by some filthy animal.

Schooling his features, he stepped into Inessa’s office. Her pale skin was a contrast to the dark hair coiled into a tight bun. Glancing up at him, her tone was cold. “This is my house, you will knock when entering my residence.”

Bastian smiled at her, taking a seat without being invited. Pissing her off was one of his favourite pastimes. “You know me, mom, I’m never going to change my ways. At least of all for you.”

She sat back, folding her arms. The emerald suit she wore reminded him of Nate’s eyes.

 _No. Don’t think of the street rat in Inessa’s presence._ She had a knack for sniffing out weakness. Not that Nate was any kind a weakness to him. He merely wanted to fuck the man before his mother demanded that he be killed.

“Rhett Saint still isn’t dead,” she stated. As if he wasn’t aware of that fucking fact.

“No.”

“Why?” she demanded. 

Bastian exhaled deeply, crossing his legs. “I’m getting warmed up,” he told her, thinking of the video he had saved to his phone. Rhett was going to get one hell of a kick in the gut soon; he was just waiting for Andre to uncover the fucker’s phone number.

“Sebastian, I want him dead. Go play your games with some other degenerate.”

His jaw clenched. “Mother, I’m going to remind you that I may be the only son you have left, but I don’t take orders from you. I will kill that fucker in my own time and my own way. You’ll be happy with his head once I’m finished with the rest of his body.”

She huffed a little. It was her usual response when she was put in her place. Bastian tolerated the woman because had birthed him, but she had never been a real mother to him or to Rafe and for that, she would get no respect from him.

“Do you at least know where he is?”

“No,” he replied easily, “but I will soon enough.”

Her cold eyes met his. “And what about the brother you have at your home?”

 _Fuck._ “All part of my plan.”

One of her perfectly sculpted brows arched. “Really? I heard that your men are so incompetent that the plucked the wrong brother right off the street.”

“You’re misinformed,” he lied.

She hummed. “Are you going to kill Rhett’s brother?”

“Yes,” he answered truthfully. He would eventually.

She seemed satisfied with that. “Good. I want their entire bloodline erased from the world.”

Bastian fought the urge to roll his eyes. He understood the need for vengeance more than anyone, but his dear mother had a flare for the dramatics and an aversion to getting her hands dirty. Bastian had never had that problem. He would wade waist height in shit without so much as a second glance.

“Is there anything else? We could have had this titillating chat over the phone. Unlike you, I’m not in retirement. I have important shit to do.”

“Sebastian, you test my patience. Yes, that is it. I don’t want to see you again until the job is done,” she said, effectively dismissing him which was just fine with him. Too much time in her presence and he would turn to ice.

He left as quickly as he had arrived, glad to see the back of the gates in his rear view mirror. Instead of going into his penthouse office as he had planned, Bastian headed back home. As he pulled up, he received a text from Andre with Rhett Saint’s email address. He wasted no time in firing off the video to the bastard, disappointed that he didn’t have a front row seats to his reaction.

It was perfect timing really, Bastian thought as he climbed the stairs. If he couldn’t see Rhett’s reaction, he might as well watch as Nate digested the news. Something told him that the fucker wouldn’t mind too much. He might even enjoy giving his brother the finger. 

So many possibilities.

His phone rang. “Yes?” he answered.

It was Andre. “I have some information.”

When Nate woke this time there was no Sebastian looking down at him with desire in his eyes. There was an empty, opulent room that made him feel so out of place he considered just going back to sleep again. He had felt more at home in the basement.

He shifted, the movement quick to remind him of all the abuse his body had endure the past couple of days. And the plug in his ass. Scrubbing a hand over his face, Nate went for a piss and returned to the bed. It took him close to five minutes. Sebastian’s men had been thorough with his beating. He doubted there was any unbruised skin on him.

He thought about snooping around and quickly decided against it. Someone like Sebastian wasn’t going to leave anything of importance laying around his spare room for his enemy to find. Anything that he uncovered would be because his captor wanted him to so there was really no point in wasting his energy.

Despite his body protesting, he went to the window to check out the view. The sight that greeted him was unexpected. A beach. From what he could tell the whole property backed onto it. He guessed it must be a private one.

Maybe he would get to swim in the oceon before Sebastian killed him. He was sure there was a way he could bargain for it.

There was no way of telling how much time had passed. The only person he saw was a maid, an older woman who threw a large bag of clothing into his room before running off before he could speak to her.

Dressing was a challenge. He was sore and every time he moved the damn plug made itself known just as he suspected Sebastian wanted. The clothes were alright, he supposed. He picked up a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt. At one point he had thought Sebastian planned to keep him naked.

He wouldn’t mind seeing Sebastian completely bare. Fuck, he craved it with every fibre of his being. From the glimpses he had got, he knew the man was going to be mouth-watering. Whilst they were of a similar height, Sebastian was packing a lot more muscle than him. And that fucking cock, that really had been mouth-watering.

More hours went by without anything happening. His stomach had began to growl with hunger. When had he last eaten? Sebastian’s men had shoved him into a van just after he finished an early shift at the bar he worked at around one in the afternoon. He didn’t know if it had been two or three says since then.

Just when he thought he was going to die of boredom, the main from earlier swung open his door and told him to follow her. Nate did, this time taking in more of the house. It was modern with nods to it’s old bones. Nate was no expert on houses, but he suspected it had been standing for a long time.

The sun blinded him when the small woman led him outside. A fleeting thought of escape entered and left his mind in a second. It might seem like he was unguarded, but he would bet his last dollar that if he made a single misstep, he would be dead in seconds.

By the time he reached Sebastian a couple of hundred yards from the house, seated at a table on some decking, Nate was winded and sweating like a pig. The heat and pain had his head swimming. He barely registered the maid scurrying off. Was it him or Sebastian that she was afraid of?

When his eyes met Sebastian’s, he noted the other man was scowling. “How can you look worse than you did earlier? Sit down before you fall.”

Nate collapsed into the padded chair beneath him, the movement wreaking havoc with the plug. The fresh air might have been nice if he wasn’t sharing it with a psychotic bastard who had lodged a butt plug up his ass.

Sliding a glance at Sebastian, Nate checked him out, his preoccupation with the guy bordering on something close to obsession. He was in the same suit as earlier, the jacket folded across the back of his chair. His dark hair moved in the light breeze, revealing more of his stunning features.

“How was your day?” Sebastian asked in a velvety voice.

Nate snorted at the seemingly serious question. “Great," he answered with fake cheer. "How was yours?”

“Fine, I suppose. My highlight was the time we shared.”

Nate’s cheeks burned slightly at the reminder. In spite of his inability to give a shit about most things in his life, what Sebastian had done to him earlier, had been crazy. It was more insane that he had let it happen. It was easy to let go in the moment, but thinking back on the way he had just submitted to the man was a bit of head fuck.

“Nate, you need to work on your conversational skills. I detest talking to myself,” Sebastian informed him with an impatient undertone. He picked up a glass of what Nate assumed was alcohol, taking a large gulp.

“What exactly do you want me to say?”

Sebastian smiled. Nate noticed that his smiles always held a mocking undertone. Sinister. “Maybe you would like to tell me how you got on with the present I left you.”

Nate cast his eyes out to sea. “Barely felt it,” he lied.

Sebastian laughed. “I own larger ones.”

_Don’t react._

Sebastian rolled his eyes dramatically. “Fine, why don’t you tell me where I can find your brother.”

Nate had almost forgotten that Rhett was the reason why he was here. “He doesn’t tell me shit.” There was no reason to lie. He knew a few places where Rhett hung out, but he wouldn’t go near them if he thought someone was looking for him.

“He’s surprisingly hard to track,” Sebastian admitted.

“If you think having me will draw him out, you’re wrong.” The only person Rhett cared about was himself.

“Why is he so invested in your life choices if he cares nothing for you?”

That was easy to answer. “He thinks no one will fear him if they find out his brother likes taking it up the ass.”

“Plenty of people fear me and I like a stiff cock inside me every now and again,” Sebastian revealed, lips curling. Nate was mesmerised. Mesmerised by his seductive presence, by the idea of the man getting fucked.

He licked his dry lips. “I can give you a few addressed, but I doubt he’ll be there”

Sebastian studied him intently. “I don’t know if your familial disloyalty pleases or repulses me. He’s your blood if nothing else.”

“Fuck you,” Nate said with a heat he had thought had long been snuffed out. “You don’t know shit about Rhett. You think you do, but you don’t." He had destroyed their family, taking after their asshole of a dad. Terrorising Eva. Helping their mom into an early grave. Forcing her was more like it.

Sebastian set his glance down, knuckles white. “What I know,” Sebastian barked out, “is that your brother killed mine and for that he’s going to die.”

So that was it, the reason why Nate’s life had an expiry date. “Am I meant to care? You, Rhett and your dead brother are all the same. What the fuck did you think was going to happen getting involved in this kind of life?”

Glass shattered, flying out in all directions, the sound of it falling piercing the air.

_Provoke the beast, this is what you get. Happy now?_

Maybe he really was suicidal.

His heart sped up a little. Was he afraid of what Sebastian would do next? Fuck, he didn’t even know anymore. He thought he was long passed fearing anyone. Sebastian was different. Nate could see the barely contained depravity lurking beneath the surface.

His breath caught when Sebastian stood, closing the short distance between them. Both of his hands came down on Nate’s chair, just above his shoulders. He leant down, his mouth so close. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Nathan.”

A shiver ran down his spine. “I don’t play games, Sebastian. You’re going to kill me so I don’t have anything to lose. I’m not going to lie to you and pretend I care about your loss when it’s what put me here. How many brothers have you killed?”

Sebastian was silent. Staring. Nate’s whole body was tingling with awareness. “You have more of a death wish than I first realised.” With that he went back to his seat. Nate felt the loss of him keenly. Which was fucked up.

“I made contact with your brother,” Sebastian said, his muscles relaxing.

Nate contained his surprise. “Yeah?” Apparently the danger has passed. For now. “Why do you need my help finding him then?”

“Oh, you misunderstand. I don’t know where he is, I just sent him a little message.”

“I hope it wasn’t subtle because he isn’t the sharpest tool in the box.”

The smile was back on Sebastian’s face. “It definitely was not subtle. Want to see?”

A part of him was curious to see how Sebastian would begin his war on Rhett. Sebastian handed him a phone. It was unlocked, open on a video. Nate pressed play, his stomach leaping to his throat when it began.

All the blood drained out of his face. It was a video of him and Sebastian. Sebastian giving him a handjob, the plug. Nate looked at his own grainy face, mouth dry. Would Rhett think he wanted it? There was no audio. Maybe his brother would think Sebastian had forced him.

Nate threw the phone onto the table, the object skidding to a halt. Sebastian was watching him with gleaming eyes. Fury rose within, hate for the man in front of him threatening to evaporate the haze of apathy he had lived with for so long.

Before he could stop himself, Nate jumped from his seat and flipped the table over, sending it crashing onto the grass below the timber decking. Sebastian had done the one fucking thing that ensured Rhett would go after Eva. Everything he had done, everything he – they - had sacrificed up until this point had been for nothing because as soon as Rhett saw the video, he would know Nate had broken their deal.

Fuck, fuck, “Fuck!” he screamed, anguish filling him. He barely knew what was happening around him. Flashes of Sebastion’s expressionless face. Men in black descending on them. Nate swinging at the closest one. Agony in his arm.

Sebastian’s voice snapping out orders.

Pain.

Destruction.

So much fucking pain.

Eventually darkness.

It was welcome.

Needed.


	4. Coming Back to Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be some actual plot soon! Promise.

An unconscious Nate was dumped onto the bed. Bastian ignored the involuntary wince that jerked through him at the sight, dismissing his men. He removed his shoes and slid into the bed beside Nate.

That reaction had been…unexpected.

Bastian had seen and done too much to be truly surprised by anything in live anymore, but Nate had come close. If someone else had reacted like that, he might have understood. But everything he knew about Nate told him that he had no problems with his sexuality, that he would want to rub it in his brother’s homophobic face. If it was true that Rhett had forced his brother to live like a monk for years, the idiot should be thanking him.

Any predator like him would recognise just how hungry Nate was for cock.

He ran a glance down Nate’s prone form, taking stock of his injuries after the show he had just put on. Nothing substantial. Peter, a member of his security, had pistol whipped him on the back of the head to finally get him down. Bastian could have taken Nate down himself, but something – perhaps shock – had prevented him from causing the younger man harm. He never hesitated to defend himself.

Though Nate hadn’t exactly attached him, had he?

His outdoor furniture had seemed to attract most of Nate’s ire.

If he was honest with himself, Bastian was unsettled by the whole drama. He should leave Nate locked in his room, sparing him no further though. That would mean tearing his eyes away from the man and that was proving difficult.

Why?

He kept asking himself the question and got satisfactory response.

A ping from his phone had him fishing it out of his pocket. A reply from Rhett. Four words.

_You’re a dead man._

Bastian smiled at the audacity as another alert came through.

_And tell my brother he broke our agreement. Now I break mine._

He scowled at the phone. There was a mystery to be solved and as soon as Nate woke from his nap, Bastian would uncover it. Frustration bubbled beneath the surface. His day had not turned out as he had planned. He thought he might be balls deep in Nate’s ass by now, not watching him sleep.

He should have known the rest of his day would turn to shit. Andre had tracked down a lead on Rhett’s whereabouts. After wasting the majority of their morning, it had led them no where. He was becoming more agitated than like, the failures of the day prickling at his nerves.

An hour or so of waiting, Nate began to stir, the groan coming from his lips a reminder of their fun this morning. Bastian remained still, long legs stretched out before him, crossed at the ankles. Eventually Nate opened his eyes, throwing Bastian a confused look that he did _not_ find adorable. Lost little boys weren’t usually his thing.

Nate rubbed at the back of his head, sitting. After a few seconds the confusion was gone, replaced by a wall informing Bastian of the exact moment Nate remembered what had happened. No matter, Bastian would coax him out again. Or just bulldoze the fucking wall. Both options held their own appeal.

“What are you doing here?” Nate directed at him, voice hoarse.

Bastian’s fingers ached to stroke that harsh expression away. “It is my house,” he answered with amusement.

“What are you doing here with me?” Nate amended.

Bastian ignored the question. “Losing your shit like that was stupid. I’ve killed men for less.” Nate swung his legs off the bed. “Where do you think you’re going?”

No response.

Bastian got up and walked around to Nate’s side of the bed, grabbing the strong jaw in his hand. It was rough beneath his touch, stubble peppering the skin. Bastian fought the urge to caress it. Nate didn’t deserve a reward after his poor behaviour.

“You don’t want to piss me off right now.” Still nothing. Nothing behind the eyes either, not even the desire he had seen there before. “If we’re going to work through this hurdle, you need to talk to me.”

“I’m not doing shit for you,” Nate finally spoke, swatting Bastian’s hand away.

He narrowed his eyes at the childish behaviour. “Does your change in attitude have anything to do with this deal you made with your brother.”

Nate’s gaze tore into his. “Fuck you.”

“You could have done if you kept your temper in check,” Bastian said easily. “I thought it would take you longer to snap. Maybe Rhett was right to keep you on a leash after all.”

Nate rose, holding his ribs. The dismissive way he walked past Bastian wrangled him. Who the fuck did he think he was? The blatant disrespect forced Bastian to shove Nate against the wall. The other man nearly tripped, still unsteady on his feet. Fuck that, he thought when a tiny slither of sympathy welled. He didn’t do sympathy, empathy or any fucking thing.

Nate’s eyes were dull when they met his, the fight that had consumed him earlier, all gone.

“Why are you making me do this?” Bastian asked. It could have been a plea. Pathetic condition that Nate was in, everything inside of him rebelled at the thought of hurting him.

“Your choice,” was all he got back.

He had as much choice as Nate did. The day he started letting people disrespect him was the day he would die. Too many people were lying in wait, ready to slit his throat the moment he showed weakness. And yet, he still hesitated. Nate was under his skin.

He wanted the arousal back on the man’s face.

Pressing his body in the hard line of Nates, Bastian inhaled the scent wafting from him like it was some kind of delicious treat. Christ, it fucking was. “Tell me about the deal. I’ll find out on my own eventually. It you tell me yourself, I could be persuaded to kill Rhett before he makes his next move.”

“You don’t even know where he is,” Nate highlighted, though there was a spark of interest now.

“I have a lot of resources at my disposal, it’s only a matter of time and with me hunting him, he isn’t going to have the freedom to do whatever you think he’s going to.” He placed his hands on Nate’s narrow hips, tugging at the waistband. “What do you have to lose by telling me?”

Nate’s battered face was tight with tension. “If I tell you it will be another thing you can use against me.” The _only thing_ , seemed a more accurate description.

“I want your brother dead. Everything else is inconsequential.”

Nate scoffed at that. “If that were true, you wouldn’t give a shit about killing me.”

Bastian’s mind suddenly comprehended. “You’re protecting someone else.” It was the only possibility that made sense. “Who? The rest of your family is dead.” He smiled, a thought occurring to him. “Were you being a bad boy, do you have a secret boyfriend?” Was all the shit about not fucking anyone a lie?

“No,” Nate answered, growing agitated. “If you kill Rhett, if you kill me, will that be enough for you?

“I don’t know,” Bastian answered honestly. Since Rafe’s murder, he hadn’t been himself. What would have satisfied him before might not now. He had changed and it wasn’t for the better. Rafe had always played the biggest role in keeping him in check,

“So you would take your revenge on someone completely innocent?” The question was filled with disgust. As if the little street rat had the right to judge him.

“Who is innocent, Nate? Humans begin to be conniving assholes the moment they realise they can manipulate for their own gain.”

Nate shook his head. “I’m not telling you anything. And you might as well go ahead and kill me. By sending that video, you changed the stakes. I have something to lose ow and I’m not going to sit in this fucking house whilst Rhett…” he stopped himself from finishing the sentence.

Bastian was only growing more intrigues. “If you help me find him, he won’t be alive long enough to do anything.”

“I don’t trust you,” Nate said.

Nate had good instincts. Bastian stepped back reassessing his strategy. “Do you need to trust me to take a shower with me?” he asked, slipping his hand into Nate’s, tugging him along. Nate’s movements were stiff, his reluctance obvious, but he allowed himself to be led by Bastian without struggle.

In the bathroom, Bastian turned the shower on. Nate stood beside him, dried blood on his nose, t-shirt streaked with dirt. Bastian grabbed the bottom of the tee and pulled it over Nate’s head, revealing the compact body beneath. Getting the fuck away from the man would be a sensible idea.

The connection they share was inexplicable. He should kill Nate, get it over and done with before the fascination that drew him in turned into something more dangerous.

Because he had never done a sensible thing in his life, Bastian dropped to his knees, unzipping Nate’s jeans and yanking them down his legs. He pressed a kiss to the covered cock, enjoying Nate’s sharp intake of breath. “Step out of them.”

Once the jeans were off, Bastian curled his finger around the waistband of the snug boxers, his skin grazing the hair beneath. He looked up at Nate’s confused expression. _That_ was the fucking look he was becoming obsessed with. Eager to see Nate’s cock up close, he got rid of the boxers and threw them over his shoulder.

“You’re getting hard for me,” Bastian commented, circling his hand around Nate’s length. It wasn’t quite as big as his own cock, but still impressive. Hardening under Bastian’s scrutiny.

“I have a hand on my cock, of course I’m getting hard,” Nate said with an edge that Bastian found a turn on. The man could deny it all he wanted. The evidence that Nate still wanted him was about to slide into his mouth.

“Has anyone sucked you off before?” he asked. He hoped not. He liked the idea of being Nate’s first experience.

Hesitation. “No.”

Bastian tutted. “So that selfish prick who took your virginity didn’t even suck your cock?”

“There wasn’t really time for that,” Nate replied drily.

Bastian smiled. “There is _always_ times for sucking cock. First rule of homosexuality.”

“Yeah, is there like a rule book or something I should be reading?”

“You don’t need a book when you have an excellent teacher,” Bastian purred, closing his mouth over Nate’s cock.

*

Nate sucked in a breath. What the fuck was wrong with him? Not ten minutes ago he had been adamant that Sebastian’s strange power of him had been broken. The twisted fuck had put Eva’s life in danger by sending a fucking video of him having a butt plug shoved up his ass to his fag hating brother.

He should loathe Sebastian. A part of him did.

And yet, when the other man’s wet mouth slipped around his cock, he let out a little bitch moan. Leaning against the shower screen for support, Nate could only watch as Sebastian worked his dick, sending waves of pleasure crashing through him. There was no reluctance, Sebastian taking his cock with confidence.

Nate could barely put together a coherent thought as he cock hit the back of Sebastian’s throat. It felt like the other man was swallowing him whole. It had never occurred to him that Sebastian would suck his cock. He’d thought they would fuck a couple of times before Sebastian put a hole in his brain.

So far Sebastian had been focused on Nate without taking anything for himself and it was unsettling as fuck. He was used to people using him, taking what they could from him. People didn’t give anything to him for free. So what was Sebastian’s game?

Currently, he was too far gone to care. Sebastian’s head bobbed back and forth, spit flying out of his mouth as took Nate in deep. It was messy. Raw. So fucking real that he didn’t know how to comprehend it. A groan escaped his lips when one of Sebastian’s hands travelled to his ass. Nate knew that was coming and it probably would have been painful if not for the remedy of Sebastian’s hot mouth sucking him.

The butt plug was yanked out. Nate was distantly aware of it dropping to the floor with a bounce, but his attention was soon stolen by two large fingers slipping inside his hole.

“Fuck,” he rasped, his cock, balls and ass all lighting up like a fucking Christmas tree.

Sebastian’s fingers plunged inside of him, immediately finding his prostate. It was all too much for him, the onslaught of sensation too rich after years of making do with his own hands. His body was screaming for release, his muscles bunching, ready him for the orgasm he knew was about to rip right through him.

“Please don’t stop,” he whimpered, not above begging. If Sebastian stopped, he would combust. “Please.”

A sound of amusement came from Sebastian. Thankfully, he didn’t stop. In fact, he continued with a renewed vigour that had Nate’s breath heaving. “Going to come,” he ground out. He could feel. Grasped for it.

Sebastian’s fingers jabbed into him as Nate’s cock shoved into his mouth as deep as it could go, Sebastian urging in him. _So fucking hot. So hot._ He came instantly, sending streams of cum directly down Sebastian’s throat. Now the other man was coughing, but he was stopping either. He just kept sucking him up like a damn hoover, setting off a series of violent shivers as he tried to remain conscious.

He swallowed hard, his vision doubling. “Bastian.”

Finally Sebastian pulled away from his cock. Nate looked down at him, barely able to reconcile this man with the one who he had met a couple of days ago. Spit and cum leaking from his mouth, hair all mussed up, the smug grin tugging at his lips.

Nate’s legs were weak, his body a total wreak from the beating and earth-shattering orgasm that Sebastian had just given him. The other man rose to his full height, stroking his fingers across Nate’s cheek. “Get in the shower before you fall down.”

Nate stepped in, making an effort to keep his arm out of the stream of water. His eyes were glued to Sebastian as he undressed. Unsurprisingly, he was fucking magnificent. Solid muscle after muscle, a layer of hair covering his chest. He spotted a few vicious looking scars which Nate just knew would hold interesting stories.

And his cock. Jesus fuck, that thing was huge. Nate highly doubted it was going to fit in his ass painlessly regardless of how many plugs Sebastian shoved up there.

He admired Sebastian’s frame through hooded lids in attempt to put some distance between them. It was fucking embarrassing how fast his resolve had crumbled as soon as the cocky asshole had got on his knees. Nate needed to get his head in the game, try and think of a plan that would put him directly between Rhett and Eva.

Which meant getting the hell out of his luxurious prison. Away from Sebastian.

Why had Sebastian ruined it by sending that video?

Hands snaked around his hips as Sebastian crowded his space. A part of him liked it and another, was pissed. The man acted like Nate was his. His to possess, his to fuck. His to fuck with. Nate’s fight had laid dormant for years, but now Sebastian was like an earthquake cracking through his carefully constructed control. It had taken him years to perfect the art of not giving a fuck and Sebastian had crumbled it in days without really lifting a finger.

Coming back to life was painful, everything he had locked away, erupting with agonising zaps. Sebastian eyes were on his, always watching. “You look like you want to punch me.”

Nate forced himself to relax. He had to stop reacting to Sebastian, showing that what the other man was throwing out there, was landing.

But fuck, he was so confused by what Sebastian was throwing out there. The sound of the water raining down dampened his words slightly as he spoke. “Why are you doing this?” Taking a shower with him, sucking his cock. Deciding not to kill him out on that decking when he had lost his shit.

“Because I want to and I do what I want, Nate,” Sebastian said as he poured a generous amount of fancy shower gel on his hands. He lathered them up before sliding them over Nate’s sore skin. “You look like shit.”

Nate eyes closed on their own. He was basking in sensation of the hot water pouring down on his, Sebastian’s capable hands cleaning the grime from him. “Didn’t do it to myself,” he finally bit out, reminding himself that Sebastian had just chucked a grenade into his life. 

“Are you holding a grudge against me? The beating you took from my men was meant for your brother. You lost your shit earlier, that was all on you. How many times are we going to go over this? You must be used to getting your ass kicked living in the neighbourhood you do.”

Nate scoffed, batting away Sebastian’s talented hands. “You’re such an asshole. I do the ass-kicking.” Occasionally, anyway. He knew how to handle himself; was that so fucking hard to believe? 

Sebastian laughed a little. “Yeah. Sure.”

“Why don’t you just get the fuck out if you can’t keep your mouth shut?” he bit out. He was losing his patience big time, conflict rising within. He wanted Sebastian. He also wanted to cave his fucking face in.

For once, Sebastian kept his mouth shut. Nate didn’t know whether it was tone or if the fucker was just too tired to mess with him anymore. They washed in silence, Nate exiting as quickly as he could, throwing some sweatpants on back in the room.

His vision went blurry again so he backed up the bed and sat his ass down before he fell. He felt like absolute shit. A couple of minutes later, Sebastian emerged from the bathroom without a stitch of clothing on. Nate diverted his gaze, unwilling to get caught in that trap again.

He heard rustling and figure Sebastian was putting some clothing back on and finally getting gone. “Get into bed,” Nate heard which had him looking up and meeting Sebastian’s eyes. “I’ll bring you up some food and pain relief.”

Too exhausted to question Sebastian’s he simply nodded. He couldn’t keep up with the other man’s moods so there was really no point in trying. Besides, food and meds sounded pretty damn appealing.

He just wondered what the price would be.


	5. Three Days

It had been three days since he had seen Sebastian. Three days of laying on the bed, taking a shower, eating whatever meal was delivered to him. It was monotonous and it gave him too much time to think about the shit show that was his life.

Rhett was most likely searching for Eva now, their deal dissolved the moment Rhett had seen him in that video. Jesus fucking Christ. Thinking about it only reminded him of Sebastian. He had spent too much of his time thinking about that asshole.

He needed to find a way out. As he was confined to the bedroom, a way out was a long ways off yet. Growing up with Rhett and his dad, he had learnt how to handle himself. He was a capable fighter in a street brawl, but he didn’t have the skills to take down a house full of Sebastian’s men.

The only upside to being stuck in the fucking room was that his body was healing. There was still pain, but it had dulled a little. Sebastian had kept his word and pain pills had been dropped off with his food.

He was sick of staring at the walls. Of picturing Rhett out there, free to hunt Eva whilst he was locked in some mansion. His frustration was growing by the hour and it wasn’t something he could bury like he usually would.

Fuck it, he was done with not giving a shit. Where had it gotten him? Under Rhett’s thumb. Under Sebastian’s control. Everyone else was in control of his life. He was left with nothing and no one to turn to.

Nate pushed himself away from the bed, crossing to the bedroom door. Studying it, he wondered what it would take to force the wood from its hinges. A lot more strength than he currently possessed, he was sure.

On impulse, he tried the handle, freezing when the door creaked open. What the fuck? He had tried it a few times over the last couple of days. Every other time it had been locked. Glancing behind him, he looked around the room. Was Sebastian fucking with him? Watching him through the cameras to see what he would do?

For a moment, he considering staying in the room. It was safe; he had been left alone in there. Outside the walls, he didn’t know what to expect. Boredom won out in the end. Anything that happened would be a hell of a lot more interesting than staring at the same four damn walls.

And maybe he could find an escape route.

Chances were low, but he was desperate enough to try.

He limped out into the hallway, his stride still stiff. He hoped he didn’t run into any of the assholes who had worked him over. He was in no condition to fight them off. Besides the door had been unlocked. He doubted that had been done without the permission of the master of the house.

The question was, why?

Considering how much he had wanted out of that fucked room, he was at a loss when he studied the long passage. He remembered being led out to Sebastian a few days ago so the walls were familiar to him. His problem was that he had no idea what to do now.

He imagined Sebastian sitting in an elegant office located somewhere in the house, having a laugh at Nate’s expense as he tried to work out his next move. Uncertain situations weren’t exactly new to him, they had been apart of his life the moment had had taken his first breath, but this was different. When dealing with his messed-up family, he at least had the advantage of knowing their personalities.

Sebastian was unpredictable.

Nate began a slow gait down the light hallway, heading towards where he thought the stairs were. His eyes scanned the numerous paintings adorning the walls. They were of all shapes and sizes, colours and styles. It wouldn’t surprise him if Sebastian had hand picked every one. One for each side of his personality.

He was too preoccupied with the surroundings to take any notice of the presence stalking him from behind.

A hand clamped over his mouth.

Instantly he knew it was Sebastian, his build was imprinted into Nate’s mind. His scent engraved into his lungs. He should have struggled from the hold. If it had been anyone else, he would have shaken them off immediately. There was something addictive about being in Sebastian’s hold.

“What are you doing out of your room?” Sebastian asked directly into his ear.

The voice flung Nate from his strange stasis. _Now_ he pulled from Sebastian’s grasp, annoyed with himself for losing his fucking mind every time he came into contact with the man. “Get the fuck off me.”

Sebastian chuckled lowly, though he let Nate go. “You’re getting too easy to rile up.”

Nate scowled at him, tempted to punch his smug face. He swallowed his anger, though he was unable to keep his eyes from roaming down the length of Sebastian’s body. He wore another suit, this one almost certainly as expensive as all the other he owned.

Fuck, he looked good.

“How did you get out?”

Nate looked at him blankly. He was certain that Sebastian knew exactly how he had got out. He was certain Sebastian knew everything that went on in his house. “Why don’t you check your cameras?”

“Oh, I’ve been watching them regularly,” Sebastian assured him in an airy tone.

Would he ever get the better of Sebastian? Every barb he threw was tossed back with double the strength. If he had more game, maybe he would be better at the verbal battle. Or was it flirting? He had next to no experience in that area. Honestly, he didn’t know what the fuck was going on between them.

He did know that there was a part of him, hidden behind layers of uncertainty and mistrust, which liked the idea of Sebastian watching him. The idea that he couldn’t help himself. That he needed to see Nate. Of course, he was never going to admit that to the man. He already held way too much power in their fucked up relationship.

“Are you hungry? You’ve lost too much weight.” Sebastian commented with a patient look across his face. Confusion rocked through Nate, prompting Sebastian to continue. “I’ve been neglecting you. I’ve had a lot of business to attend to, but I have a clear schedule for the next couple of days.”

“You’re psychotic,” Nate breathed heavily.

Sebastian merely smiled at him. “Maybe. Probably.” He shrugged, drawing attention to his broad shoulders. “How long are you going to hold a grudge against me for? I would apologise, but as far as I can tell, you owe your brother nothing which means I did you a favour by sending that video.”

“Is that why you left me alone for three days, so I had a chance to calm down?”

“Partially, but I was telling the truth. I’ve been busy. The Bratva is breathing down my neck. I killed one of their Brigadier’s and the Pakhan is not happy. He ordered one of my factories to be torched. Messy business.”

Nate sucked in a breath. Sebastian was fucking with the Bratva? The Russian Mafia were one of the most powerful criminal organisation in the world and Sebastian was causally confessing to murdering one of their top men. If Nate hadn’t been entirely sure he would come out of this alive, now he knew there was absolutely no possibility.

If Sebastian didn’t kill him, the Bratva would just for being associated with him.

Even Rhett, with all of the idiotic brain cells in his skull, knew to stay far away from anything they touched. The stories Nate had heard was terrifying and he was currently locked in a house with someone as twisted as Sebastian.

He didn’t even know what to say at this point.

Sebastian must have found his expression amusing. His hand came to rest on Nate’s back as he chuckled. “I see I’ve left you speechless. Don’t worry, I’ve been at odds with them for years. They’ve only come close to killing me once. We’re safe here.”

Nate allowed himself to be led down the stairs by Sebastian. “Where is here?”

“LA. That’s all you need to know.”

So even if he did manage to get out, he would have to find his way back to Reno to deal with Rhett. Would he ever catch a break?

They arrived in the kitchen whilst Nate mulled his situation over. There were no good options available to him. Unlike Sebastian, he had no resources available to him. His best option was to try and find a way to warn Eva. The cop she was dating would find a way to protect her and hopefully Sebastian would find Rhett sooner rather than later.

To his surprise, Sebastian went to the fridge and began plucking ingredients from inside. “You’re cooking?” he asked despite himself.

“It relaxes me,” Sebastian responded as he started to chop vegetables. “Take a seat.”

Nate pulled out the stool and plonked his ass down, grateful to be off his feet. The exertion of walking down the stairs had taken it out of him. He couldn’t keep his eyes from Sebastian as he prepared a large bowl of veggies and diced chicken before chucking it into a skillet. He moved with confidence so Nate knew the whole scene wasn’t just for show. Sebastian truly knew his way around a kitchen.

Sebastian caught him staring. “Let me guess you’re surprised I know how to fend for myself.”

Nate grunted.

“I would think it more surprising that a man of your age doesn’t know how to cook.”

That got Nate’s back up. “I do fine.”

“Define ‘fine’.”

He wasn’t getting into it with Sebastian. It would only be another way the asshole could look down on him. Sorry he was born into poverty. He had been lucky to get two meals a day growing up. Lately, he had been trying to experiment more with food, but old habits were hard to break. Also, making a meal for one sucked.

Sebastian tutted. “So many chips on your shoulder. Do I offend you every time I open my mouth? Most people find my company enjoyable.”

“Are those people your captives?” Nate shot back.

Sebastian lifted a brow. “I suppose you’re right,” he said, stirring into the pan with a wooden spoon. He set the spoon on the counter, turned the heat down and then stalked to Nate, his closeness setting Nate’s body on edge.

Sebastian gently spun the stool around so that he could position himself in between Nate’s legs. His dark eyes capture Nate’s, making it impossible to look away. “I don’t want to hurt you. That in itself is strange for me. I will only do so if you leave me no choice.”

“What does that even mean?”

“It means,” Sebastian started, splaying his fingers around Nate’s head, “that I can help you. Whatever I did by sending that video doesn’t need to get in the way of what could happen between us because I can fix it. Who are you trying to protect? I use the word ‘trying’ because you can’t do it by yourself. You need me.”

Nate felt himself being pulled in by Sebastian’s words, by the intimacy of their hold. For once, he so badly just wanted to be able to lean on someone else. Rely of them to help hold him up. “I told you before, I don’t trust you.”

“How will you trust me if you don’t give me a chance to earn it?”

Nate licked his lips, thinking. “Will you let me make a call?”

Sebastian sighed. “You know I can’t do that.”

“So it’s okay for me to trust you, but you won’t do the same for me?”

Sebastian’s fingers tightened around his skull a fraction. “You could tell Rhett where we are.”

Nate let out a bark of a laugh. “I don’t even no where we are. For fuck sake, Bastian. I was willing to stay here without even thinking of escape. I was willing to fuck around with you. Doesn’t that tell you that I don’t give a shit what happens to me? You changed the rules and now I have to deal with the consequences? Fuck you.”

He pushed Bastian away, jarring his bad arm in the process. Bastian stumbled back a few steps, but remained close. “Who do you want to call?”

Nate rubbed at his arm, eyes narrowing. “I’m not giving you a name. I want to warn them about Rhett. He’ll be coming for them.”

“You made a deal with him which obviously hinged on you hiding your sexuality in exchange for him leaving someone else alone.” It was very close to the reality of the situation. Nate nodded. “It must be a boyfriend.”

“It’s not,” he gritted out.

“Just tell me who it is. I can protect them.” The words were accompanied by a gentle swipe of Sebastian’s thumb across his cheekbone, sending shivers of pleasure through his body.

“No.” Sebastian wanted him dead for being Rhett’s brother. Eva was his sister. She was guilty by association.

Sebastian’s voice lowered. “You are starting to test my patience.”

Nate kept his mouth close. It was becoming a pattern. Sebastian gentle demands until he became frustrated at the disobedience. Nate didn’t know how long they would be in each other’s lives for, but he wasn’t about to let that shit slide. He could be stubborn as fuck I f he wanted to.

Seconds ticked by in silence, the air thick with tension as they continued to stare at each other.

Eventually, Sebastian broke first. Frustration coated his words. “Fine, you can make a call, but as soon as you do, you need to get over it. I’m not having you sulking for another three days.”

Nate stilled, mind racing. “You can’t trace the call.”

Sebastian stepped into his space, brushing his lips across Nate’s. “I _can_ trace the call, but I won’t. So am I forgiven?”

Sebastian’s kisses were intoxicating. Nate was pretty sure he would agree to anything if it meant he could have more than them. “I want to make the phone call before I make that decision.”

Hands curled around his nape. “You drive a hard bargain, Nathan.”

“Stop calling me Nathan.” It was weak and he didn’t really give a shit about the name. He just needed to remind himself that Sebastian didn’t know him. It was necessary to keep a certain distance between them. “And your chicken is going to burn.”

Sebastian chuckled. “Easily rectified.”

Nate watched as Sebastian turned off the stove. “What are you doing?”

“I want your cock in my mouth.”

An injection of lust filled Nate’s veins going straight to his cock. “Sebastian…”

He sauntered over, his dark features so intense that Nate wanted to back up a little. “You want it too. Are you going to tell me that you don’t?” Sebastian tugged him off the chair and had his shorts down by his ankles in two seconds.

Nate glanced around the spacious room. “Anyone could walk in,” he protested.

“And they’ll walk straight back out as soon as they see me sucking on this glorious dick.” His hand was warm as he circled Nate’s cock. His mouth was hotter, his tongue sweeping into Nate’s mouth without preamble.

It took less than a minute for Nate to forget that they were in a kitchen. He was consumed by Sebastian. To have a man as powerful as Sebastian kneel before him and take his cock into his mouth. Only in his dreams had he imagined something like this happening to him.

He ran his fingers through Sebastian’s thick hair, daring to take a little more control than he had the last time. If Sebastian wanted him to stop, Nate had no doubt he would make his wishes clear. He barely seemed to notice the clenched fist in his head, his whole focus on sucking Nate’s cock with talented mouth.

Three days worth of pent up frustration left no room for a slow build. He had known the moment Bastian's mouth closed around him that he wasn't going to last long. His desire for the other man was too great, verging on an obsession he expected would be the end of him. The fact was he loved how the psycho took control, he loved the slight panic that filled him whenever Nate was in his presence. 

A low moan escaped his lips as Sebastian increased the suction, hollowing his cheeks without a scrap of shame. Their eyes met for a brief second. Bastian's obvious smirk with a mouth full of cock tipped Nate over the edge. Pleasure shook through his entire body, sending vibrations from the top of his head to the tip of his toes. 

An indelicate cough filled the air.

Nate froze. There was nothing he could with Sebastian’s mouth so tight around his cock. He came with a stranger’s eyes on him. He could barely take in the guy’s features because he was coming so hard.

As expected, Sebastian was completely unaffected by it all. He rose slowly, licking some cum from his lips as he turned around to face the intruder. “Andre.”

Nate pulled his shorts up fast, blushing more than he thought was possible. 

So much for anyone walking in on them would walk straight back out again.


	6. Interrupted

Studying the younger man, Bastian took in his smooth brown skin, the expensive suit and the pink tie which succeeded in adding a pop of colour. He appeared harmless and he was to a certain extent. Never got his hands dirtied with the filth of their business. 

“What can I do for you?” he asked, well aware that Nate stood behind him mortified. It was endearing that he could get embarrassed by sexual acts. Bastian had lost that ability a long time ago, most likely around the third or fourth time his mother had walked on him fucking someone as a teenager.

Andre huffed out a breath, frustrated, showing no sign that he had just walked in on his boss giving his captive head. “We need to talk.”

Bastian’s jaw clenched. “I told you I wanted two days’ worth of peace.”

Used to his moods, Andre accepted the violent undertone without blinking. “It’s about the Bratva.”

Biting off a curse, he turned back around to Nate. His face was flushed, lips red from where he had been biting down on them during the blowjob. With regret, he said, “I’m going to have to leave you for a while. The chicken should almost be done, I can trust you not to give yourself food poisoning?”

Nate nodded. His eyes went to Andre. Right, he should probably introduce them. “Andre is my right-hand man. You’ll seem him around a lot.” He stepped into Nate’s space, wrapped an arm around his waist. He spoke quietly. “I’ll come find you soon to make that call. Stay in the grounds and don’t try anything. My men will stay away from you as long as you behave.”

Indignation welled in Nate’s eyes, but he managed to clamp it down. “Fine.”

Unable to stop himself, he captured Nate’s lips again, leaving the man breathless when he pulled away. “This is your chance to prove that I can trust you. Don’t fuck it up.”

With that Bastian strolled out of the room, Andre on his heel. The fucking Bratva. Unlike Nate’s brother they were a true threat. One day his enemies would get the better of him and he had to admit that the Bratva stood a higher chance than the rest of them.

Bastian led them into his office, Andre closing the door behind them. Bastian rested his ass against the desk, making it clear that their talk would be quick. He was impatient to get back to Nate. They were beginning to make progress.

“What’s going on?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Despite his irritation at being interrupted, he knew that Andre wouldn’t have done it unless he had good reason.

Andre took a deep breath before speaking. “They’re coming for you.”

Bastian rolled his eyes, unperturbed by the threat. “They’re always coming for me,” he reminded his friend. They _were_ friends. Somewhere along the way they had become friends. He was probably the only friend that Bastian had.

“This time is different,” Andre protested, beginning to pace, “the Pakhan himself is coming.”

Attention captured, Bastian met Andre’s eye. “Is that information reliable?”

“Yes, from a trustworthy contact. The whole fucking Bratva is on their way here, Bas. We need to leave.” His voice was filled with a sense of urgency, lines of stress visible on his face.

“That means things are finally getting interesting,” Bastian commented, unconcerned by the news.

Andre huffed out a breath. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

Bastian sighed. “It’s hardly a surprise.”

“So why the hell are we sat here?” Andre burst out. “You do realise that the only way you’re going to annihilate them is to continue to live yourself. There aren’t coming here with thoughts of capture. They’re going to wipe every single person in this house out. Including your new toy.”

Bastian allowed Andre certain allowance due to his position. Those allowances didn’t extend so far that the man could speak to him if he were a fucking idiot. He knew exactly what he was doing. He had planned for multiple scenarios the moment he had decided to take out one of the Bratva’s top men.

And for some inexplicable reason the reference to Nate pushed his patience over the edge.

He flicked Andre a warning glance, the look coming to him as naturally as breathing. It was all it took to have the other man back tracking. “Look, I’m sorry, Bas. I’m worried about you. I’m worried we’re underestimating our enemy. You’ve been reckless lately.”

“You know what they did.”

For the last couple of years he had been attempting to rebuild his relationship with the Bratva, purely because it made his business dealings a lot less complicated. Rafe had taken point, dealing with various members of the organisation. Bastian had no patience for them and when he had become involved, whatever progress Rafe had been able to make had quickly disintegrated.

Nate’s brother may have been the one to murder Rafe, but the Bratva had set him up. Bastian still didn’t have all the details, still had no explanation as to why the Bratva had broken their tentative peace. In the end the reason didn’t matter. They were marked for death the moment they schemed to get his brother killed.

“I do know,” Andre answered, expression pained. He had been close with Rafe, Bastian knew. “I want them dead as much as you do, but how does this situation help?”

Bastian decided to put the man out of his misery. “We’re leaving soon. The Bratva will have a firing squad waiting for them. It has to be a quiet exit or they’ll turn back around. You’re doubt in me hurts,” Bastian said with a smile.

Indignation played across Andre’s face. “I’ll stand by you until the day I die, you know that. I would just rather than day be decades from now.”

“Relax, you’ve got a lot of years left on this planet.” Bastian wasn’t losing anyone else that he cared about. “I thought it would take them longer to mobilise so maybe my judgement is a bit off at the moment.” Which meant his time with Nate was going to be restricted until they reached somewhere safer.

He should just kill Nate now and be done with it. Dragging a captive around with him came with a certain risk that he should be avoiding right now. No matter how much he understood that on a logical level, it wasn’t going to happen. Nate was proving so much more interesting than he had first anticipated and he wasn’t willing to let go of him just yet.

Andre scrubbed a hand over his face. “So what do you want me to do?”

“Make the arrangements to move,” Bastian directed, “we’ll leave in a few hours. All I need to do it contact the team I hired to greet the Bratva.”

“Where are we going?” Andre asked.

Bastian smiled. “Reno.”

***

Nate ate the meal Sebastian had begun to prepare for him before they had been interrupted. That had been the easy decision thanks to the hunger gnawing at his insides. It was what to do after that stumped him. He should be scoping the place out, but his sore body and the recent blowjob he had received left him feeling tired so he headed back upstairs.

Sebastian had disappeared over an hour ago and he still couldn’t believe the guy had just blown him in the kitchen like that. Nate settled back on his bed, replaying those moments in his head. “Jesus Christ,” he whispered, raking a hand through his hair.

Being around Sebastian caused havoc on his system. He truly believed that the man was just as likely to shoot him in the head as he was to blow him. It was insane and the most fucked up thing about it was that he was fast becoming addicted to it.

Confused didn’t even begin to cover it. Up until now his life had been simple. Shit, but simple. Keep out of Rhett’s way. Do whatever it took to protect Eva. Pretend he didn’t like dick. Those were the simple rules he had lived by. Sebastian was obliterating everything he knew, turning his life upside down and in the end, none of it would matter because he would be dead.

Sebastian waltzed into his room wearing a different outfit to the one he had been in earlier. Nate imagined that it was Sebastian’s version of causal. Expensive, tight-fitted black jeans and a t-shirt. If someone else were wearing, it would be causal.

His eyes swept over Nate. “You need to pack.”

Nate sat up, Sebastian’s tone putting him on edge. “What? Why?”

“We’re leaving,” Sebastian said, crossing over to the wardrobe, rummaging through it to find a duffel bag. He placed it on the bed. “Pack.”

“What’s going on?” Nate asked.

“We’re about to get some visitors. You don’t want to be here when they arrive.”

Nate frowned, sliding off the bed. “Is someone coming for you? Is it my brother?”

Sebastian shot him a look. “Do you think I would give a shit if your brother was on his way here?”

“Who then? The Bratva?” It was a guess, their earlier conversation still fresh in his mind. Sebastian’s nod of affirmation still managed to surprise him though. “I can’t believe this shit.”

“Too much drama for you?” Sebastian chuckled.

“Yeah, it fucking is,” Nate retorted, his stress levels rising fast. Sebastian, on the other hand, appeared calm as hell. Again, he couldn’t help but think there was something seriously wrong with the man. He almost seemed as if he enjoyed the prospect of being hunted down by the Bratva. “You’re taking me with you?”

Sebastian tilted his head a fraction. “Do you want to stay here? Unlike me, I don’t think our Russian friends will fulfil every single one of your filthy fantasies before they kill you.”

Nate shook his head a little. How were these the decisions he had to make? Granted, there had never been any easy decisions in his life. “Would you let me stay?”

“Do you want to?” Sebastian asked in a tone that Nate couldn’t quite place. There was none of the usual mocking undertone that was usually directed at him.

The question was one he seriously had to consider. His time with Sebastian would come to an end one way or another. It was highly probably he was going to end up dead one way or another. Was there any point in prolonging his suffering? Sebastian had shown he could bring a whole lot of pleasure, but there was a side to him that would enjoy inflicting the pain.

Considering the strange pull he felt towards Sebastian, Nate realised no matter how hard he tried to remain passive throughout their time together, it wasn’t going to happen like that. Wasn’t it better to seek death now when the alternative? When the time came, Nate would feel betrayed by Sebastian despite the man declaring his intention from the first moments they had met.

“Nate, answer me.”

Nate jerked out of his thoughts, frustrated with himself and Sebastian, his tone reflecting that. “What do you want me to say? I get this is all a big fucking game to you, but this is my life.”

A strong hand grabbed onto his jaw, forcing him to meet those dark eyes. “Don’t push me.”

Nate smacked his hand away. “Push you?” he asked, incredulous. All the asshole had done since he’d abducted him off the street was attempt to push him to his limits. Nate had been a fucking saint compared to Sebastian.

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Sebastian said softly.

Nate snorted at that threat. It reminded him of a stereotypical villain you would see in the movies. “Are you going to get your men to break my other arm?”

“I could do that myself,” Sebastian boasted, his breath fanning on Nate’s skin. The proximity to Sebastian was scrambling his thoughts. 

“Violence solves everything, right?” The words came with a bitter bite. 

All of his life violence had been used against him. His dad, his brother and now Sebastian. What was it about him that invited that shit? The joke was on Sebastian though. With the family he had and the amount of beatings he had taken, those kind of threats meant nothing to him anymore. He was going to jump to do Sebastian’s bidding because disobeying him meant pain.

It infuriated him that the asshole assumed that Nate would hang onto his every word. Fulfil his every command. That wasn’t who he was. Rhett had only been able to control him by using Eva and even then, his grasp had been slipping the further Eva managed to extricate herself from their world. 

Sebastian stepped back, his expression smoothing out into smoothing unreadable to Nate. It seemed unnatural on him. “Do what you want. Stay here and die, but you better be sure that’s what you want because I won’t be coming back to save you.” He turned towards the door leaving Nate staring after him like an idiot. “Let me know what you decide. I’m leaving in an hour.”

Nate watched him leave, wondering how the hell he had made a fucked-up situation even worse. Was he really going to willingly stay behind to get killed by the Russian mafia? He let out an unpleasant laugh, lowering himself to the bed.

Shit, he didn’t even _want_ to stay. Sebastian’s smug fucking face had taunted him. There had been no question in the other man’s mind that Nate would beg to be permitted to leave with him. It wasn’t going to happen. Nate wasn’t going to beg anyone for anything.

So now he was truly fucked because he had too much pride to backtrack. He highly doubted that Sebastian was just going to leave him free to roam the house when there was a possibility he would just run away. Knowing Sebastian, he would have him locked in the cell, like a gift wrapped up for the hitman. Maybe he was twisted enough to put a bow on the door. 

_Eva._

The name was all the reminder he needed. She was the reason he had endured so much shit from Rhett and he was happy to do it as long as she remained free. For her, he could swallow his pride. He sometimes wished the circumstances were different because he would love to seek the look on Sebastian’s face if he confirmed that he did want to stay.

But Eva was out there with Rhett set on using her to punish Nate. Taking the easy way out now would be a betrayal of her faith in him to keep her safe. Leaving with Sebastian was the only choice that gave him a chance that he could stop whatever Rhett was planning. Get rid of him once and for all.

Nate used up forty-five minutes of the hour Sebastian had given him running through every possibly scenario his mind could think up. There was only one conclusion he kept circling back to. If he wanted to life long enough to help Eva, he was left with no choice.

He had to ask his captor to keep him for a little longer.


	7. Realisations

Bastian glanced at his watch.

He was leaving in two minutes with or without the man who had managed to get under his skin in less than a week. It was laughable really. Everyone who knew Bastian was well aware of his inability to form connections. So why, of all people, had Nate invaded his expertly crafted amour? It made no fucking sense to him.

Not to mention, it was beginning to enrage him. If Nate’s death wish was so strong that he was willing to walk straight into the Bratva’s hands, Bastian should let him. He _would_ let him. Despite his preoccupation with the man, he was walking a dangerous line right now with enemies on every side, waiting for the moment he made a mistake.

It would happen eventually. He wasn’t delusional enough to believe otherwise, but he couldn’t allow it to happen until those who had a hand in Rafe’s death were reduced to a pile of ash themselves.

So why the fuck was he waiting for Nate like some dumbass waiting for his date to show?

If Nate had been anyone else, Bastian would have left half an hour ago. He could tell himself the reason for the hesitation was the fact that he hadn’t actually fucked the guy yet, but he wasn’t going to embarrass himself and use an excuse so pathetic. He had dozens of numbers he could call for a fuck if that was all he wanted.

Evidently, that wasn’t all he wanted from Nate. Maybe he was finally losing his grasp on reality as many people believed. In clear moments such as he was experiencing he could admit that his behaviour was erratic.

Muffled footsteps had his eyes darting to the hallway connecting to the kitchen. Nate appeared, head down cast with a bag slung over his shoulders, his gait still a little stiff from the healing injuries. 

Bastian allowed none of the internal relief show on his face at the sight of Nate walking towards him. Nor did he allow himself to linger over the other’s body as it would have done a couple of hours earlier. Their little spat in Nate’s bedroom had left him unsettled. Unsure of what he was trying to accomplish by fucking a member of his enemy’s family.

He turned on his heel expected Nate to follow him out to the car. A private plane was waiting for them at a small airport an hour away from the house. Others were closer, but there was a high chance the Bratva had sent scouts ahead to figure out how Bastian was going to escape.

Silently, Bastian took Nate’s backpack from him and threw it in the car, motioning for the other man to climb in before him. The drive to the airport was strained with neither of them uttering a single word. By the time they got on the plane, Bastian was in a foul mood, made worse by the wary looks Nate kept directing at him.

Fuck, he was tired. Physically, as he never seemed to get more than a couple of hours of sleep a night anymore. It was more than that though. Andre was right, since Rafe had died, Bastian had been reckless. So fucking angry all the time. He masked it the only way he knew how – with amused detachment and it was beginning to take its toll.

Thirty minutes into their flight Andre handed him a glass of whiskey. The other man had arrived at the airport before them, sorting the details that Bastian didn’t have the patience for. Bastian took the drink, gulping it down in a single sip.

Andre arched a brow, no doubt noting that Bastian’s mood had dramatically decreased since their earlier conversation. “Another?”

Bastian nodded, choosing to ignore the way Nate’s whole body tensed in the seat a few feet from him. In fact, he was being careful to ignore everything about him. It was obvious the man hated flying. His hands clenched onto the seat every time there was a slight disturbance. Why did he notice these things? Why did they aggravate him so much?

Andre took pity on him, offering him some of the whiskey. When Nate shook his head, Andre said, “It will take the edge off.”

“I’m fine,” Nate insisted. He got out of his seat on wobbly legs and disappeared into the bathroom.

“What happened between the two of you?” Andre asked, his eyes following Nate. “You were on your knees for him a couple of ours ago.”

Bastian bristled at the reminder. “I want to fuck him.”

Andre called him on his bullshit. “You were making him food, Bas.”

“Because I want to fuck him,” Bastian gritted out.

A sound of amusement left Andre’s lips. “You forget I know you. I’d wager you’ve had the opportunity to fuck him already. The question is, why haven’t you?”

“He’s still recovering.” From a beating Bastian’s men had given him.

“Why won’t you look at him? It obvious he’s freaking the fuck out. Has he even been on plane before?”

Bastian thought about it. Considering everything he knew about Nate’s life, it was likely that he had never stepped foot on a plane before. “He’s my prisoner. Why would I comfort him?” He didn’t know how to comfort anyone, let alone someone as fucked up as Nate. “He doesn’t want that from me.”

His friend glanced back towards the bathroom door. “He’s been throwing you some heavy looks. He wants something from you.”

“Sex,” Bastian answered. It was all there was between them. All there could ever be considering what they were to each other. The thought left a bitter aftertaste in his mouth. He was just another person putting Nate through hell and Nate was just another fuck who would never look passed the face Bastian presented to the world. 

“At this point, I doubt he even wants that.” He paused, still reeling from the fact that Nate had wanted to remain in the Bratva’s path. “He asked me if I would let him stay at the house.”

Andre frowned. “After you told him the Bratva was coming?”

“He’s got a death wish,” Bastian murmured, knocking back another glass of whiskey. The burn was beginning to lessen, a sure sign that the substance was working its magic.

“Why does that bother you? You’re planning on killing him, right?” he asked the question causally.

Right. He was. There was no other way for their twisted tryst to end. “I don’t understand him. That’s what pisses me off. I could do anything to him and I don’t think he would give a shit. What the fuck has his life been to have that kind of reaction?”

“He’s getting under your skin.”

Something – maybe the drinks – compelled him to be honest. “He’s a distraction I can’t afford right now. I should end his miserable existence and be done with it. Give him what he wants.”

“But you won’t,” Andre surmised from his tone.

No, he wouldn’t. He wasn’t done with Nate yet. Bastian shook his head in confirmation. He sighed. “You were right earlier. I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing anymore. The control I had on myself is gone and you know there wasn’t much to begin with.” He looked at his friend. “You can leave once we get to Reno. I’m not going to get out of this alive and I don’t want to take you with me.”

Andre’s eyes widened in shock. Bastian didn’t blame him. Historically, he was a closed book. He acted without explanation and expected the people he employed to follow him. This time was different. He knew with all certainty he was going to die soon. Andre had too much potential and youthful optimism to follow him.

“Bas…I’m not going to leave you,” Andre said, leaning his body towards Bastian. “You and Rafe saved me. I’m not – I can’t – leave you when you’re in this kind of trouble.”

Bastian reached out to place his hand on the other man’s knee. “That’s exactly why you need to leave me. Rafe would want something better for you and I can give him that.”

“No,” Andre said resolutely.

“I’m not giving you a choice. As soon as we land, you’re being escorted to a safehouse.”

“Come with me then,” Andre pleaded, desperation in his voice. “Please Bas, you’re the only family I’ve got. I can’t watch you…”

“That’s why I’m sending you away, so you don’t have to watch.” His tone held the ring of finality. In some ways, Andre was the only family he had left and the younger man deserved more than what he and Rafe had given him. All those years ago they had saved him, only to mould him into a criminal they could use.

The other man was quiet after that. Bastian sighed, knowing he was going to get the silent treatment. Andre was a moody little shit. He diverted his attention to the bathroom door wondering what the hell his other problem was doing.

Against his better judgement, his long legs began towards the door. Locked. “Open the door, Nate,” he said with an impatience he couldn’t conceal. Being separated from Nate by a locked door was beginning to get old.

His mouth parted in surprise when the door opened without any more coaxing. Nate stood on the other side, his face pale and drawn. “I don’t like flying,” he blurted out, wiping beads of sweat from his forehead.

“You’ve never been in a plane before?” Bastian asked, circling his fingers around Nate’s wrist, pulling him out of the small cubicle. He guided him back to the luxury seats, though this time he sat next to Nate instead of returning to his seat next to Andre.

“Where would I go on a plane?”

Bastian said nothing to that. A couple of days ago he might have tried to antagonise Nate in order to get a reaction, but he simply didn’t have the energy for that shit at present. Now he understood and fully accepted the odds of walking out the current situation alive were slim, keeping certain walls up between them seemed fruitless now.

It was likely he would change his mind on a couple of hours considering the instability of his moods, but for now, he just needed a fucking conversation that wasn’t shrouded with ill intent. He kept a hold of Nate’s wrist, gently stroking his thumb up and down the surprisingly soft skin.

Nate looked down at their connected hands, expression perplexed “I don’t understand you at all.”

“Do you need to?” Bastian asked in a soft voice.

Nate seemed to think about his answer for a second. “I guess not. When we land can I make that phone call?”

Ahh, the phone call. Bastian had almost forgotten about that. “If this phone call is so important why were you willing to stay at my house and be slaughtered by the Bratva?”

“When you’re like this it make me want to be honest with you, but I know I can’t trust that feeling.”

“Like this?” Bastian questioned. It would be interesting to get Nate’s perspective on his every changing mood swings.

Turbulence hit sending Nate into Bastian’s body with crash. Bastian steadied him, the sight of Nate trembling in fear getting to him. Everything Bastian had through at him up until this point, Nate had faced with any real lack of emotion, besides the whole video fiasco. Witnessing him in the grips of real fear wasn’t as satisfying as Bastian had expected. The complete opposite in fact.

“What I am being like?” he pressed, hoping to distract Nate from the face that they were hurtling through the sky.

Nate hands now had a death grip on Bastian’s arms, the question penetrating his terror. “You act as though you care. I know you don’t so…” he trailed off.

“So?”

Nate threw him a frustrated look. “So when you eventually get tired of me and kill me, it will be my own fault that I’ll feel betrayed by you. In a way, if I’m dead the person I’m protecting will probably be safer.”

Fuck, what was Nate doing to him? Why was his chest tightening with every world that left Nate’s lips? “And what if my desire to kill you had greatly diminished?”

To his surprised, Nate just smiled at that. “As soon as you have Rhett in your sights, you’re going to remember what he took from you. Remember why you want me dead in the first place. No offence, but I don’t think a man like you is capable of really changing his mind about something like that. Maybe I’ll be a good fuck for a while, it might even be a year, but it won’t change the fact that I’m the brother of the man that killed your own. It won’t change our past.”

Bastian wanted to deny Nate’s accusations. There was a small chance he would have changed his mind. If he really wanted Nate to live though, he would send him to the safehouse with Andre and he already knew he wasn’t going to do that. So he was comdemning him to death anyway, even if it wouldn’t be by his hand in the end.

“I suppose we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.”

Nate’s hand gingerly reached up towards Bastian’s cheek. He stopped himself from flinching at the touch, intrigued to where this was going. “Please don’t make me care about you. If it’s just sex that you want, we can do that. But I can’t…I don’t want you to kill me if…”

Bastian did flinch then, the stark honesty in Nate’s voice penetrating his rotten heart. “Nate –“

His hand fell back down to his lap. “No, Sebastian. I’m asking you for this one thing, okay? No one has ever really given a shit about me. I don’t want you to pretend that you do, to make me feel like you do and kill me. That shit will haunt me even in death. If you can’t do that, you might as well just kill me now.”

Head pounding with tension, Bastian drew back from Nate entirely, shaken. He thought himself incapable of tender feelings, he thought understood every aspect of who he was and then Nate walks into his life and just upends everything. He could care about Nate, he already did more than was good for him and yet, Nate didn’t want it.

“If that is what you want,” Bastian finally spoke. “Just remember that you asked for it.”

Nate’s voice was strangled. “I didn’t ask for any of this, Bastian. I didn’t ask to be fucking chained to a brother like Rhett, born to parent’s like mine. I didn’t ask to be pulled into this war between the two of you so at least give me the fucking decency to dictate one term of my own.”

Bastian couldn’t contain his own frustration as he met Nate’s gaze. “I agreed to it, didn’t I?” Before he said something he may or may not regret, Bastian rose. “We’ll be landing soon. In Reno. This war with your brother is going to be over sooner than you expected and then we’ll be free of each other.”


	8. Chapter 8

Nate took in the opulent interior of Sebastian’s penthouse hotel room with curious eyes. He dumped his bag on the floor, questioning for the thousandth time how he had ended up surrounded by such wealth. He was a long way from home and he felt it with every step he took on the plush white carpet.

“Close your mouth, Nate. It’s just a room.” Sebastian’s voice came from behind him as he shut the door. There were guards stationed outside, Nate knew, but no one was in the suite with them. Andre had left them as soon as they landed with an annoyed expression.

Nate made an effort to shut his mouth. He was fed up with making an ass out of himself in front of Sebastian. From now on he was going to keep his shit together around the other man. “How much does a suite like this cost a night?”

Sebastian ignored him, shrugging out of his suit jacket and rolling his shoulders. What was the point in travelling in a suit? It was pretentious as fuck and uncomfortable. “Are you hungry? I’ll order some food.”

“Yeah,” he admitted it reluctantly because he relied too heavily on Sebastian, “I’m starving.” He had thrown up on the plane, anxiety getting the best of him. If he were actually trying to impress Sebastian, he would be embarrassed by his meltdown caused by the turbulence. He had to remind himself every two minutes that he didn’t give a shit what Sebastian thought.

“What do you want or do you want me to order for you?” The question threw him off. Sebastian was acting like a regular person might. It threw Nate off more than when Sebastian was being a world-class dickhead.

Nate walked across the to the plush soft that was placed in the centre of the ‘living room’ and sat down. “I can order for us if you want?” he asked awkwardly.

Sebastian stilled, giving him a strange look before disappearing into what Nate assumed what was the bathroom. “Okay.”

_Okay._

It took Nate a few minutes to find the phone and the figure out the number he was supposed to call for the room service. He then had the difficult task of deciding what to order for Sebastian. In the end he decided to order two burgers with fries. Whatever he ordered for Sebastian, Nate knew it would be wrong so there wasn’t much time agonising over the decision. Besides, it’s not like the food was going to from McDonalds or anything. Nate would bet anything that the food would be some fancy shit.

Twenty minutes later Sebastian appeared from the bathroom freshly showered dressed in a pair of low hanging joggers and nothing else. Nate’s skin flushed at the sight of the compact muscles, the sleek lines of his body.

“You can shower now or after we’ve eaten.”

Why was he giving Nate choices now? It was messing with his tired brain. To be honest, he had almost grown to like the commands Sebastian gave him because it meant he didn’t have to think. “I’ll shower now,” he said, walking towards the connecting door.

Sebastian was quiet for a long moment. “Nate?”

Hand on the handle, he glanced over his shoulder. “Do you still want to make that call?”

Nate looked at the other man in shock. “Are you fucking with me?”

“No.” The single word was all he got before a phone was hurled at him from across the room. He managed to catch it with his good arm.

Should he say thank you? A part of him really didn’t want to. So he didn’t. He had practically begged Sebastian to not make him care and he pulling shit like this, but he was pushed his annoyance aside because talking to Eva was his top priority right now.

Worried that Sebastian would change his mind, Nate hurried into the bathroom in search of privacy. He was finally going to talk to Eva. Nate couldn’t remember the last time he had heard her voice. He quickly dialled the number before he could completely bottle it.

He too a deep breath, heart stuttering when Eva’s soft voice filled the line. “Hello?”

Words got stuck in his throat. He didn’t know what to say, how to say it. How did he react to hearing her voice for the first time in years?

“Who is it? You’ve got five seconds to speak before I hang up.”

“It’s me,” Nate rushed out, terrified she would break their communication. There was no way of knowing when Sebastian would be in a generous mood again. If things ended the way he thought they would, he might never be able to speak to his sister again.

“Nate?” she asked in in confusion.

“Yeah.”

Fuck, why was he so dumb? He should have planned out what he was going to say before dialling. Take a second to fucking think before acting.

“Why are you calling?” his sister asked. The irritation in her voice disappointed him, but he understood. He reminded her of a life she was trying to forget. 

“Rhett is…” How did he explain everything that had happened? There was no way he could without sounding fucking insane and it was best that she know nothing about Sebastian. “He’s pissed at me. He might make a play for you.”

“Nate, you promised,” she cried, unravelling immediately at the news. Her tears clawed straight through his heart. “You promised me that I would be safe from him.”

Head hung low in shame, he rested it against the door. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean-“

She cut him off. “You never do, but every time you piss him off, he comes for me. I’m the one who has to suffer for the twisted games the two of you play.”

“I didn’t do anything to him,” Nate attempted to explain, maybe even try and defend himself. Was it so wrong of him to want Sebastian? The answer to that question was a yes, but not for the reasons Rhett threw at him. His brother hated that Sebastian was a man. Probably more so than the fact that he was the enemy.

“You’re so selfish,” Eva spat down the phone, anger taking hold of her. The words eviscerated him. There were so many things wrong with him. He knew that, but he had never considered himself selfish. “I’ve built a life here. I don’t want to run again.”

Nate didn’t know what to say. There was nothing he could say to make the situation better. He had promised Eva she would be safe from Rhett. He had known what the consequences would be if he broke it. He had fucked around with Sebastian anyway. Literally the first chance he had got. He had been the one to put it on the table.

“I can’t save you this time,” he finally said, broken by the knowledge. There had been so many times had had put himself in Rhett’s path to save Eva. Sebastian owned him now, there was nothing he could do. Confessing to Sebastian would only make things worse.

“Nate…” it was a plea.

“I’m sorry.” He hung up the phone, the guilt eating him from the inside out, her cries cutting into his soul. He deserved it. The pain, everything Rhett had done to him, everything Sebastian planned on doing to him. He deserved it all.

Placing the phone down next to the sink, he met his down gaze in the mirror, his unfocused eyes blown. He could barely look at himself. All he saw was a useless piece of shit. Rage choked him. Self hatred dripped from his eyes, scalding his cheeks.

He slammed his fist into the mirror, the surface cracking beneath the pressure. He did it again and again. It was cathartic, a way to release the pressure that threatened to explode inside of him. The pain was inconsequential compared to the knowledge that he couldn’t protect his own fucking sister.

**

“They destroyed the house.”

Bastian took Andre’s words with a sigh. Though he owned a wide variety of properties, he had like that house. “It was to be expected. Send me the footage.”

“I will do,” Andre replied. “You should be safe for the time being. Looks like they are regrouping, trying to determine your location.”

“Good. How’s the safe house?” he asked with a smirk.

“Boring. How’s Nate?”

His smirk dropped. “Fuck off.”

A barely restrained chuckle from the other end of the line. “Still problematic then?”

That was one way of putting it. Nate had begged him not to make him care. Honestly, he had thought there was no danger of that between them. He had kidnapped the man, had him beaten, showed a sex tape of them to his homophobic brother. What more could he do to ensure that Nate remained detached from him?

Why then had Bastian allowed him to make the phone call? He didn’t understand his actions. Couldn’t explain to either himself or Nate so he hoped the other didn’t ask for one any time soon.

Bastian eyed the bathroom door the moment he heard something smash. What the fuck was Nate up to now?

“I’ve got to go,” he said quickly. “Make sure you send me that footage tonight. I want to review it as soon as possible.”

He stalked to the door separated them and twisted the handle, unsure of what he was about to walk into.

He made several observations at one. Nate curled in the corner of the room, the broken mirror, blood smeared over the sink. His first instinct was to demand to know what the fuck was happening. It took him less than a second to comprehend that his usual behaviour wasn’t going to work this time.

Grabbing a towel, he lowered himself in front of Nate, something twisting inside of him witnessing Nate breaking in front of him. He took Nate’s hand in his, pressing the towel over the damage he had inflicted on his knuckles.

“Nate,” he called softly.

“Leave me alone,” came the raspy whisper, Nate snatching his hand back away.

 _Fuck that._ He wasn’t the type of man to tip toe around anyone. Bastian gripped Nate’s wrist firmly, continuing his task of cleaning the cuts. There weren’t deep and they would probably heal without too much medical interference. A few bandages and he would fine.

So why couldn’t he get his heart rate to settle? Why was Nate’s pathetic state tugging on his non-existant heart strings? Who had been on the other end of that call?

“Did you call your brother?” Bastian asked in a neutral tone. It didn’t quite seem right, but the only other time he had seen Nate react so badly had been when they had received contact from Rhett. “Answer me, Nate.”

“No,” was the only reply he got.

Exhausted with the clusterfuck of a day, Bastian sighed, leaning back on his haunches. “Have your shower. The food has already arrived. If I find out you’ve harmed yourself in any way, I won’t be fucking impressed.”

Nate acknowledge his words with any of his own, but he did start to rise. Bastian left the bathroom, trusting that his warning would ensure Nate behaved. He needed a drink to deal whatever the hell that had been. He wasn’t equipped to handle an emotional breakdown.

He never thought he would meet someone as fucked up as he was, but Nate had shown him time and time again, that he was just as broken as Bastian. He itched to know more about the other man. His background, his life. Everything. He wanted to uncover all of his secrets. Bastian wanted to know him. 

Several whiskeys later, Nate finally emerged from the bathroom, hair dripping wet, droplets sliding down his toned torso to the waistband of his black underwear. There was a far away look in his eye, as if he weren’t truly present in the room which pissed Bastian off.

“Are you going to tell me what’s wrong with you?” he asked, disturbing the strange silence between them. As much as he would like to think otherwise, he wasn’t a mind reader and he couldn’t think of a scenario that could elicit that kind of reaction from the man who usually tried to hard to seem unaffected.

Nate’s voice was husky when he spoke. “It doesn’t matter.”

Bastian fought against his instincts to last out at the bullshit answer. “You’re testing my patience again.”

He watched as Nate seemed to come back into himself. The other man walked right over to his position on the couch, took the cool glass from his hand and downed the whiskey in one go. Incredulity waged through Bastian at Nate’s brazen move.

Green eyes captured his and for once, Nate was the once weaving a seductive spell. Bastian couldn’t look away, completely enraptured by the odd behaviour. “I want you to fuck me.”

The words jolted through Bastian like lightening, stealing the moisture from his mouth. “What did you just say?”

Nate held his gaze. “I want you to fuck me. Is that a difficult request to understand?”

 _The little shit_. Who did he think he was talking to? Bastian uncrossed his legs, slowly rising from the sofa. He stood toe to toe with Nate, the extra couple of inches on his leg serving him. “You know who I am. I’m not going to deny myself because you’re feeling delicate.” He wasn’t valant, his didn’t have the same morals other people had. He wasn’t going to say no because Nate was feeling a little down in dumps.

“I do know who are you,” Nate said, pressing himself up against Bastian’s body. His cock began to twitch in response at the proximity and at the thought of finally getting into that tight ass. “I want you.”

Running a hand down Nate’s chest, he hummed at the back of his throat. “Do you? I think you just want to get fucked into oblivion by the first available cock.”

“And what if I do?” Nate challenged. “I’ve been waiting years to get fucked properly and I don't want to wait any longer. Are you going to turn me down?”

No, he wasn’t. Perhaps he would have liked it better if Nate were begging for _his_ cock. It was clear he in his current state that any cock would do. But he wasn’t going to be put off by it. By the end of the night, Nate was going to crying his name, pleading with him for release.

Tension was thick between them, the air charge with something that Bastian couldn’t quite describe. Bastian’s hand travelled over Nate’s taut stomach, around to the juicy ass waiting to be kneaded. His fingers dipped beneath the band, finding the bare flesh of Nate’s ass.

At the same time he leant forward, capturing Nate’s bottom lip between his teeth. “You have no idea what you’ve just let yourself in for.”


	9. Laid Bare

Bastian’s words were replaying on loop in Nate’s head. Not because he was afraid of the decision, but because anticipation danced energetically across his skin, every cell in his body charged with desire. Bastian clamped a firm hand around his neck, pulling Nate closer to render him senseless with a kiss that scorched his insides. It was messy, almost violent and everything he craved at that moment.

Already his cock was straining against the restricting material of his underwear and Bastian had barely touched him. Nate pressed his erection against the other man, a low moan sounding from deep inside his chest. Just as he thought, it was the perfect distraction from the broken pieces of his life.

“Bed,” Bastian bit out against his lips. “Want you laid out before me.”

Nate willingly followed Bastian to the master bedroom. He didn’t have time to marvel at the softness of the mattress or the thread count of the sheets because Bastian was on him in a second, licking and nipping at his neck, leaving Nate gasping for air. He couldn’t suppress a wince when a hand bit into his scalp.

His eyes were forced to the man on top of him. “I’m going to wreck you,” Bastian promised, running his tongue down Nate’s chest, swirling expertly around his nipple. “Is that what you want?”

“Yes,” he murmured, sliding his fingers into Bastian’s thick hair.

It was the truth. He wanted Bastian to make him forget who he was, where he had come from. His own fucking name if it was possible. He needed to forget it all for a while. Take a break from the constant cycle of shame, pain and disappointment.

He allowed himself to get lost in sensation. Bastian’s lips leaving his skin buzzing with awareness, the smooth pads of his fingertips trailing down the sensitive skin on his abs. He was intoxicated by the feelings Bastian stoked within.

His eyes opened when Bastian drew away from his body. He was watching Nate with fire in his dark eyes causing his heart to leap inside his chest. “Come back,” Nate pleaded, already experiencing withdrawal from the attention Bastian had laid upon him.

Predictably, Bastian ignored him, instead, deciding to rid Nate of his only piece of clothing which shut him up. The underwear was thrown onto the floor causing cool air to brush along Nate’s throbbing cock.

“You’re practically vibrating.”

Nate didn’t know if it was the desire that had taken a hold of his body, the temperature or the aftereffects of his meltdown, but Bastian was right. He was shaking, humming with awareness. Waiting to see what Bastian would do next was driving him fucking crazy. His unpredictability was alluring.

Nate couldn’t help but provoke him into some kind of action. “Are you just going to sit there and look at me all night? I thought you were going to fuck me.” The disinterested scrutiny was agonising and yet, it only heightened his arousal.

Bastian laughed at him. “You’ll find that I’m very different from that thug you let take your virginity.”

Nate startled at that, surprised that Bastian would remember his pathetic sexual history. “Just get on with it,” he said, his annoyance ringing through. He wanted to be mindless, to have his thoughts fucked out of him.

“If you want a quick fuck, I suggest you go and find someone else.” Bastian’s gaze darkened considerably as he spoke as if he were pissed at Nate.

“Are you going to let me do that?” Nate questioned. When Bastian’s scowled at him, he continued, “I didn’t think so. What do you want from me?” Anger was quick to rise, his emotional stability shot to hell.

Why couldn’t the asshole just give him what he wanted? What he needed? As far as Nate was concerned, Bastian was a selfish motherfucker. It wasn’t news to him, he had known it from the moment he had laid eyes on the other man. In this moment though, it caused hatred to flare.

_You’re so selfish._

_You’re so selfish._

_You’re so selfish._

Eva’s words whispered against his ears, the harsh tone scraping against the raw wounds inflicted by their conversation. The longer Bastian kept him waiting whilst he played his games, the wounds festered. They would rot and eat him alive. 

“Tie me up,” Nate gasped out, almost choking on the heavy emotion that stabbed right through his chest. “Please,” he desperately begged when Bastian gave no outward reaction.

Finally a frown settled across his features, the expression quickly transforming into fury. “You have no sense of self preservation, do you?” The question was thrown at him with haste giving Nate no time to consider the answer before Bastian closed a hand around his throat. “There’s no trust between us. If you’re restrained, how would you fight back if I decided to kill you?”

The answer came quickly to Nate. He wouldn’t fight back. What did he had left to fight for? The only remaining member of his family who meant anything to him thought he was a worthless piece of shit. “If you’re not going to fuck me the way I need then you might as well put me out of my misery right now.”

“You’re saying I have to fuck you or kill you?”

Nate nodded, no longer capable of speaking. Bastian studied him again, the look penetrating into the darkest places in his soul. He was still for a long moment before moving away from Nate. At first he thought Bastian would leave him there to unravel completely. When the other man yanked some spare sheets out of a wardrobe, his mouth dried up instantly.

With sharp motions, Bastian tore the sheets into strips which he used to tie both of Nate’s hands to the corner of either side of the bed. Nate tested the resistance, satisfied when he felt no sign of the material tearing against his strength.

Being bound should scare him. Logically he was well aware of that and in a way it did. Not because he feared what Bastian would do to him. He was fully prepared for Bastian to kill him or to fuck him. Either option was just as likely in his opinion.

His problem resided in how much he liked it. Craved it even. For an idea that had come to him in a moment of pure desperation, it was unnerving how right it felt. It meant he could calm down a little because a part of him _knew_ that Bastian was going to choose to fuck him and he was going to be powerless to do anything other than take what the other man gave him.

Trapped in restraints of his own asking, Nate could only comply when Bastian knocked his legs open. The exposing position was enough to cause his cheeks to flush, but it was Bastian’s intent appraisal of his cock, balls and ass that had him squirming.

Bastian wrapped his hand around Nate’s hard cock, his touch sure and confident. It had Nate wondering what he would do to Bastian if their positions were reversed. Would he be as capable or would be hesitant, his lack of experiencing stalling him?

“Do you like being tied up?” Bastian asked in a casual tone, his hand working Nate’s cock with expertise.

His breath hitched as the long fingers glided down his shaft. “Yes.”

Dark eyes touched his. “Do you want your hole fucked raw?”

“Yeah,” he croaked out.

“Why?”

The pleasure sparking through his cock muddled his brain, making him more honest than he wished. “Want to forget.”

“Forget what?” Bastian questioned, the words low and quiet.

“Everything,” Nate whispered. So many times he had wished for the blessing of random head injury resulting in amnesia. “Stop talking to me. Stop asking me questions.” In this state, he was going to reveal something that was best kept hidden from Bastian’s shrewd intellect.

Bastian’s hand was removed, causing Nate to stifled a whine of protest. “You’re always so demanding in bed.”

“I wouldn’t have to be if you just gave me what I wanted,” Nate grumbled, shifting on the bed in an attempt to ease the throbbing of his cock. Bastian ignored him, rifling through the bedside table to find the lube Nate guessed.

The other man settled back between Nate’s legs. “Wider,” he ordered.

Nate did as instructed, his hole twitching in anticipation. Bastian drizzled the lube on his fingers, wasting no time in throwing the small bottle on the bed and reaching down to rub Nate’s entrance. Still unaccustomed to the sensation, Nate’s body jolted in response, drawing a smirk from Bastian’s lips. “So eager for my touch.”

Nate couldn’t form a response because Bastian’s words were accompanied by a thick finger penetrated his ass. It gave him a little of what he needed, but he was greedy. He wanted more. He wanted the huge cock he knew would feel so good.

“You like being helpless, don’t you?”

Nate considered the words as Bastian stretched him, opening him up with two fingers now. Did he like being helpless? Not really. In one way or another, he had been helpless his entire life. Usually, it made him feel ashamed.

There was no shame now. There was only a hunger. It ran so deep inside of him forcing him to realise how truly starved he had been. Finally someone was touching him, giving him attention. Looking at him as if he were the only person in the world. Bastian had so many flaws and there were more yet to uncover, but in the moment, it all crumbled away.

When Bastian’s fingers stilled inside of him, he let out a little whine.

“Pay attention,” Bastian bit out. “You wanted this. You’re not allowed to check out. Not even for a second. Do you understand me?”

Nate nodded.

Bastian began finger-fucking him again, eyes glued to his actions, flaring with heat. “You’re going to be so tight around my cock. I can almost feel it.”

Murmuring in agreement, Nate began to move his hips, thrusting onto Bastian’s fingers. “More.”

Bastian did give him more and then some, deepening his thrusts and circling his palm around Nate’s throbbing erection. The dual sensation was almost _too much._ But it was everything he had wished for and he wasn’t willing to experience anything less to make himself a little more comfortable.

“Are you ready for my cock?” Bastian asked, the gentler tone snapping him out of his haze for a second.

 _Don’t do that,_ he wanted to scream. _Don’t fucking act like you care._

Instead he gave a curt nod, not trusting his own voice anymore.

Bastian slid a condom on his hard length, fisting it tightly as he the broad head nudged Nate’s entrance. His heartbeat rapidly in anticipation, a part of him hardly believing that he was about to be fucked by the man who had kidnapped him.

Nate was powerless to do anything other than look at the other man. A jolt ran through him when Bastian’s dark eyes snapped to his as his cockhead pushed inside Nate’s ring. The awareness that passed between them was too much for Nate in his vulnerable state.

His breath hitched as Bastian delved deeper into his ass. Slow, but relentless. Nate moaned loudly, taking Bastian’s cock inch by inch, until he was uncomfortable full and stretched beyond what he thought was possible. 

“Fuck,” Bastian cursed, sweat beading on his forehead. “You’re so tight I can barely move. Relax.”

Nate huffed out a breath. “You have a big cock.”

A devilish smile played on his lips, his matching tone inexplicably warming Nate. “I know. You’ve been begging for it for the last half an hour so don’t get intimidated by it now.”

Closing his eyes, Nate took a deep breath and forced his body to relax. It had an instant effect, allowing Bastian to bottom out fully. “Fuck,” he exhaled unsteadily. 

“Good?” Bastian enquired, strain showing on his features.

The pleasure was hidden behind the burn of the stretch. In all honesty, Nate wasn’t searching for pleasure. He just wanted to be fucking owned. Taken over. To forget. To feel. 

“Move,” he urged.

Bastian’s eyes cut into his. “Don’t tell me what to do. You’ll take what I give you.”

Frustration pulsed from deep within. “Just fuck me.”

With a low growl, Bastian did as he was told and fucked him, his hips snapping forward with a powerful thrust, knocking the breath from Nate’s body. To anchor himself, his hands tightened around his bonds, causing his arm to protest in pain.

He was beyond caring.

His entire body bucked in pleasure when Bastian’s cock hit his prostate. There was part of him that knew he was crying out, his cries bouncing off the wall as he bounced back onto Bastian’s cock, meeting him for every thrust, his movements controlled by the rough hands on his hips.

“So good, so good, so good,” he mumbled unintelligibly.

Bastian’s chest lowered bending Nate’s legs in a way he hadn’t thought possible. The lips that could so effortlessly insult him were now placing open mouthed kisses along his jaw-line and neck. Nate’s instinct was to reciprocate, but due to his bright idea to get tied up he could barely move the top half on his body.

Bastian continued to surge into him, driving him deeper into his pleasure. He wasn’t going to last much longer. His entire body was pulsing with tension and the need to release was growing greater with each passing second. Bastian was panting above him, his face etched into harsh lines.

He drew back and brought his hand back around Nate’s cock. A couple of strokes was all it took for the fire to erupt within Nate. He shuddered through his orgasm, his cum splashing onto both of their chests. Bastian kept fucking him with brutal strokes. Nate had almost checked out, the sensations too much for him to handle in his current fucked-out state.

Bastian’s strong hand clamped around his hip with renewed vigour. Mercifully, Bastian slammed into him one final time and then he was cumming, his strokes slowing down. They were both breathless, Nate shaken. His stomach quivering with aftershocks as Bastian’s thumb massaged his hip-bone.

Fucking hell.

***

Bastian was suffering a type inner turmoil he had never experienced before. Since when he did become the most stable person in a room? Nate’s behaviour, his desperation - it unsettled him. So much so that he had considered _fleeing_ from the street rat. That he couldn’t allow so he tucked away the humane parts of him including the part which was concerned about the damage Nate would inevitably do to his healing arm.

He wasn’t going to be drawn in by Nate. Any more than he already had been, he thought wryly. They had fucked and it had been everything Bastian had imagined it to be with the exeption of how Nate had instigated it.

Bastian flickered a glance to where Nate was sleeping next to him. They had moved to the other bedroom in the suite thanks to the mess they had managed to make of the other bed. He sighed into the silent air, his body humming with satisfaction, but his mind discontent. Experiencing such indecision was a novel concept for him.

He didn’t know whether it was his upbringing or an inherent part of his DNA, but he had always been certain of his next move. At the minute, he felt like he was in limbo. Finding and killing that fucker Rhett was his main priority, though somehow the need had dulled a bit during the last few days. Not enough to steer him from the path he was on. Just enough to have him revaluating things.

The sex had only complicated matters further, like he had known it would. Whatever had happened in the bathroom had stripped Nate of his defences and despite his efforts, he hadn’t been able to rebuild them which had allowed Bastian to get a good look into the man beneath the despondence and occasional outburst of anger.

Fuck, he was tired. Unfortunately for him, his body was grown accustomed to the lack of sleep that his mind prevented him from getting. Always too much going on up there for him to get some semblance of peace. Still, he was close to slipping under, the warmth of the man beside him reaching out to him.

The sound of his phone vibrating against the bedside table was loud in the quiet room. Bastian eased himself out of the bed and grabbed his phone before heading into the living room without a stitch of clothing.

“What?” he answered, annoyed that the prospect of having a decent night sleep had been taken away from him.

“It’s important,” Andre replied, picking up on Bastian’s tone. “I leaked that you’re in Reno like you asked me to. I just got a call from a contact who says Rhett wants to set up a meet.”

Bastian stilled. “That was quick. Too fucking quick.”

“Maybe but we need it to be if you’ve got any chance of getting out of there before the Bratva shows up. They going to catch on soon; they know you’re out for blood. Do I set up the meet or not?”

Shit. He rubbed the heel of his hand into his tired eyes. “Go ahead.” It was the reason he had come to the godforsaken city in the first place.

“You need to take a team with you.”

“I know,” Bastian said, walking over to the floor to ceiling windows, taking in the night sky view. “You hand pick them. Nothing can fuck this up.”

“What are you going to do with Nate?”

That was the question, wasn’t it?

If he had any decency left inside of him, he would let Nate leave and start over with his life. He was tempted. So fucking tempted to give into the softer parts of himself and do the right thing for once. But he couldn’t. Rhett was going to make a mistake if Bastian made Nate tag along and he was curious to see what happened when they were reunited.

He didn’t think Nate was lying about the nature of their relationship. Nate was fucked up in the kind of way a person couldn’t fake and in the way only a dysfunctional family could leave you. Still, he couldn’t take the chance that Nate was in league with Rhett so he had to see them together to know what was going on between them.

“He’ll be going with me,” Bastian answered, mind made up.

A few seconds of silence. “Bas…I think it’s a mistake to do that. You feel something for him; why are you so intent on destroying whatever could happen between you before it even starts?”

“I don’t feel anything for him,” Bastian denied, the lie as blatant as could be. “His ass is all that I’m interested in.”

“Rafe would have wanted you to find a bit of happiness,” Andre said.

“Don’t bring my brother into this,” Bastian snapped. “If he truly thought that then he was a hypocrite. He treated you like a goddamn assistant for years without facing what he felt. Keeping you close without allowing you too close.”

Andre’s voice was rough when he spoke. “And don’t you think he regretted it? Because I do. I know he did because I fucking do every single day. I could have said or done something too, but I was content to wait because I thought we had time. Guess what, Bastian? You don’t. Death comes calling quicker than you can ever expect.” He drew in a sharp breath. “I’ll send over the details in the morning.”

With that he hung up the phone. Bastian crushed the phone in his hand before flinging across the room, his chest in agony. Andre was right. He knew his brother well enough to know that Rafe would have regretted not pursuing Andre, probably even as he took his final breaths.

Rafe had always been more cautious than him. He and Andre had been friends for years and their friendship had been important to Rafe, too important to risk. Bastian had laughed at him when they had gotten drunk and spoke on the subject, with Bastian calling his brother a pussy.

It didn’t seem so funny anymore. What had once been amusing to him now had the ability to devastate him. Rafe wasn’t going to get anymore chances. He was in the ground, his body decaying further each day and Andre was in limbo. Stuck, bouncing between mourning Rafe as a friend and the love of his life.

Why would he want that for himself? Or for Nate for that matter? One, if not both of them, were going to get themselves killed in the mess that they were in. Unnecessary attachment were a curse, causing more problems than they solved. He was not going to succumb to strange obsession with the street rat.

In the morning, he was going to make the boundaries between them clear.


End file.
